PICKERINGTON — Jefferson seemed to have players falling left and right Saturday night versus World Harvest Preparatory.

They needed others to answer the bell.

One was junior quarterback Sean Fisher.

The next was its defensive unit.

When the final horn sounded at Pickerington North High School, the Jeffcats had survived 20-19 in their season-opener.

“I can’t take these games; they’re bad for my heart,” a relieved Jefferson coach Damon Ulm joked.

This game surely was one of survival. The Wildcats had fallen behind 19-14 midway through the third period and were minus the starting backfield of juniors Aaron Schuerman (injured two weeks ago), Bubba Shivley (16 totes, 62 yards; ankle) and Tim Sanders (13 for 57; concussion), the last two of whom had been injured before the fourth period began.

Jefferson took over at its 16 with 8:11 remaining — thanks to their own penalty — and Fisher, in his first start under center, took over. He completed 3-of-3 passes — two to Damon Joseph for 21 yards (4 grabs, 37 yards) — for 45 yards (6-of-11 overall for 88 yards), sandwiched around a Tyree DeWitt (6 rushes, 19 yards) 8-yard tote. That put the ball at the Warriors’ 31. Fisher then turned to his legs. After a fake inside, he rolled left and found nothing but open space. He got to the sideline and was untouched until he found the goal line with 6:19 remaining. The conversion pass failed, leaving Jefferson up 20-19.

After Jeremiah Trotter returned the kickoff to Harvest’s 49, the Jefferson ‘D’ stepped up — Joseph picked off a Dane Givner (6-of-16 passing, 125 yards; 11 carries, 31 yards) pass with 5:59 left.

World would get the ball back one last time, commencing from its 48 with 4:31 to go. Aided by a personal foul on Jefferson (the last of nine penalties called for 92 yards), the hosts marched to the Jefferson 10 in eight plays. The defense stiffened, with Michael Wiltsie coming up with a crucial knockaway of a pass intended for thorn-in-the-side Niko Shallow on third down from the 8. Jonathan Saneda then tried a 25-yard field goal try that was wide right with 58 seconds left.

With World out of timeouts, Fisher took a knee twice to drain the clock.

“I told the kids when we got down and started losing players that it was all about perseverance and pride. I’m so proud of the efforts of this group tonight,” Ulm said. “Sean was huge. Tyree and Josh (Menke) did a great job filling in in the backfield. Our defense came up with huge plays at the right moment. Mark McElroy was big at inside linebacker for Bubba. There were so many. I thought we did a great job of containing Givner; he is the best running quarterback I think I’ve seen. They had so many athletes.”

Jefferson led 14-7 at the half but the big ‘Mo’ turned on play three from the 48. Sanders was stripped of the ball; Dustin Elizondo scooped it up at the 37 and sprinted toward paydirt. Saneda’s extra point was tipped and was off the mark, leaving the visitors up 14-13 with 10:19 showing in the period.

After a penalty halted Jefferson’s next drive, Harvest took over on its 46. Aided by an offsides call on a 4th-and-3 at the Delphos 14, the Warriors needed seven plays for paydirt. At the 10, Givner found Archric Sims in the right flat and he dove to the goal line. Out of the point-after, World tried a pass but it was knocked away, leaving the score at 19-14, Harvest.

Jefferson was stopped inside Harvest territory on its first drive of the contest — the second overall — but was not stopped on an 8-play, 73-yard sojourn. Keyed by a Fisher to Matt Antalis 27-yard connection, Sanders busted inside left guard from the host 1 for six. Antalis (2 grabs, 51 yards) added the conversion for a 7-0 spread with 1:58 showing in the opener.

An offensive pass interference penalty on the Warriors’ next drive nullified a 62-yard TD toss.

The Jeffcats, set up by a 26-yard Sanders punt return to World’s 39, got a break on the drive. On the sixth play from  Harvest 23, Fisher was intercepted by Givner in the end zone; he ran it out but fumbled, with Stuart Miller recovering at the 8 for the guests. Sanders then swept right, finding the seam off tackle to the end zone. Antalis extended the margin to 14-0 with 10:49 showing in the second period. World quickly got to Jefferson’s 4 — two plays, 56 yards — but four straight runs ended up leaving them a yard short, turning the ball over on downs.

They would get the ball back at Jefferson’s 24 and needed six plays to get on the board. At the 1, Trotter burst inside left guard with 2:57 showing. Saneda made the halftime score 14-7.

“The only things I was disappointed in were the turnovers (2), fumbles (4) and the penalties,” Ulm added. “Those are areas we need to shore up. We can’t be lacking discipline in the Northwest Conference and we can’t put the ball on the ground like that.”

Jefferson opens NWC play Friday at Paulding.