Friday Night Lights Part VII - It's harsh in so many ways - there's no other way to put it

It was that kind of ending tonight at Eden Valley...
Final at Eden Valley tonight: EV-W 21, B-B-E 20.

The B-B-E Jaguars football team took a 13-0 lead into halftime and also into the fourth quarter at Eden Valley tonight. It was almost unthinkable, considering their last three trips to Eden Valley resulted in 45-0, 54-0 and 54-0 losses since 2005. Last season at B-B-E, the Eagles led 49-0 at halftime.

In tonight's game, a flurry of scoring resulted in the fourth quarter, as the lead changed hands three times. The Jaguars scored on a six-yard run by Patrick Rooney with 47.8 seconds remaining and got a PAT from Ola Smedshammer to go up 20-13 and erase a 14-13 deficit. Rooney ran it in untouched; it was a thing of wonder.

The unthinkable seemed in reach. All the Jaguars needed was one or two plays in the waning minute to earn the win.

The Eagles (5-2) then scored with 18 seconds left and booted a PAT to take a 21-20 lead that stood until the final horn. Cruel man, just plain cruel. The Jaguars have now lost five games by a total point margin of 30 points. In most B-B-E football seasons, they've had 30+ point losses in just one game.

It's harsh in so many ways, I can't even describe it at this point. Would it have been easier to lose 14-10, 20-7 or 27-0? I don't know. All I know is, this loss makes "bitter loss" an understatement. I walked back to the car shaking my head the whole way.

Central Minnesota Conference scores on October 14:
Pierz 27, Maple Lake 6
Kimball Area 35, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 12
Holdingford 28, Rockford 0 (Huskers led 22-0 at halftime)

*(Below) Scenes from the Jaguars' final touchdown drive...in the second clip, the Jaguars converted on a third-and-one from their own 43-yard line with just over six minutes left in the game.



**Games involving Section 4A teams...yes playoffs are just around the corner!
Paynesville Area 30, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 14 (the Bulldogs do the Jaguars a favor)
Royalton 48, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 33
Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity 49, Medford 17 (LP/HT is 6-1)
Le Center 49, Mankato Loyola 6

Area football scores on October 14:
Melrose Area 29, Minnewaska Area 23 (Dutchmen score with :25 left to win)
Hutchinson 48 Litchfield 18
Benson 26, Lac qui Parle Valley 6 (a great border battle win for the Braves)
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 38, United North Central 6
BOLD 27, Albany 14 (Huskies score first 2 touchdowns of the game at Olivia, but the Warriors pour it on from there and win handily)
MACCRAY 49, Fulda 0
Montevideo 20, New London-Spicer 18
Browerville 26, New York Mills 0
Barnesville 41, Osakis 0
Eagle Valley 28, Verndale 0
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 28, Yellow Medicine East 25
Willmar 21, St. Cloud Apollo 20
Upsala/Swanville Area 27, Wadena-Deer Creek 12 (W-DC has lost 15 games in a row)
West Central Area 9, Ottertail Central 7 (WCA's first win in the Prairie South Conference)