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| Coach Moscho with some of the first-string Jaguars late in the fourth quarter. |
So tonight was Homecoming night!
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| Belgrade V.F.W. members. |
The scene before kickoff was picturesque, even picture-perfect! Four members of the Belgrade V.F.W. served as Color Guard while presenting the U.S. flag and the Minnesota flag. They gathered on the west end of the football field along with our B-B-E Jaguars football team. While our Jaguars stood side-by-side along the length of the west end zone, they held their right hand over their hearts with their helmets in their left hand. The entire stadium went silent as the V.F.W. Color Guard marched across the west half of the field towards the 50-yard line. There, they made a left turn to face the center of the stadium seating. B-B-E junior Kaylee Torgerson then performed the National Anthem. Once the singing ended, the crowd cheered and clapped. I made a point to look west towards the players, and every last one of them - every one! ...did not make a move from standing at attention, as the Color Guard had not dismissed. Finally, the four Color Guard members marched straight ahead to the north side of the football field. There was a four-second pause once they got to the sideline, a pause in which the stadium went silent again. I wonder what everybody had on their minds at that moment. It was absolutely beautiful. The kicker that got me, and had me choked up, was when I glanced back towards the players and saw them all still standing at attention right up to the moment the Color Guard members got to the sideline and dismissed. From there, the players gathered at the west goal post to prepare for starter introductions.
Indeed, it was a very proud moment to be a part of Jaguar Country.
*Below, that very special moment when the National Anthem was performed by Kaylee Torgerson (1:24 on the video) while the team stood at attention. That is how it is done!!!!! I think that's all that needs to be said on that topic.
With all that said, let's get back to the game!! Tonight the Jaguars hosted Parkers Prairie for the school's 29th Homecoming game. The Jaguars played an outstanding second half of football after trailing at halftime 23-22.
After the opening kickoff, the Jaguars got two five-yard runs from Isaiah Gilbert to get near midfield. Then came an incomplete pass, a run with a one-yard loss, a false start penalty, a quarterback sack with a seven-yard loss and finally a punt on 4th-and-23. Yikes!
The Panthers took over at their own 38-yard line and used nine plays to score first. Two key plays involved their superbly talented junior tight end, Travis Yohnke, who converted third-and-10 early in the drive with a 30-yard catch. The second play converted third-and-four in the red zone, when Yohnke hauled in a one-handed catch. Senior back Austin Koep scored from six yards out, and Yohnke caught the two-point conversion. With 6:14 on the clock, Parkers Prairie's three-minute, 11-second long scoring drive put them ahead 8-0.
The Jaguars found their footing on their second possession. Starting on their 42, Adam Jaeger ran eight yards to the right, and on third down, he took a pitch to the right for six yards. On second-and-eight, Ryan Illies ran for 10 yards. Four plays later, on fourth-and-seven, Parker Schwinghammer had a fabulous 12-yard catch on the left sideline. From the 16-yard line, Kyle Felling then ran around the left side to score with 1:51 left. Jaeger's catch in the right flats for the two-point conversion tied the game at 8-8.
Two penalties marked the start of Parkers Prairie's next drive. First, it was holding on the visitors, and then the Jaguars committed a pass interference penalty to make it 1st-and-5. B-B-E's defense stiffened up to force 4th-and-1. Disaster struck when Yohnke caught a 61-yard touchdown pass with 11:11 on the clock. A two-point conversion catch was good over the middle for a 16-8 Parkers Prairie lead.
Gilbert electrified the Jaguar Country faithful when he ran the ensuing kickoff back 68 yards to set up an 11-yard field. Jaeger's seven-yard run was followed by a four-yard touchdown carry by Gilbert with 10:15 left. The two-point carry was short, leaving the Jaguars down 16-14.
Parkers Prairie started on their 24-yard line. Felling earned a "pick six" of over 30 yards, but a penalty nullified the touchdown. With the penalty, the Panthers had first down on their 39. Their air game struck once again with a 52-yard catch on third-and-long. With first-and-goal at the B-B-E seven, Matt Jirik caught a six-yard touchdown pass with 8:08 left. The PAT kick made it 23-14.
B-B-E recovered an onside kick at their 48-yard line. Two plays later on 3rd-and-11, Jaeger caught an 18-yard pass from Illies. Felling's eight-yard catch was followed by a two-yard run by Illies on 3rd-and-1. Tyler Bents ran for six yards on first down, but two plays later the Jaguars faced 4th-and-2. Jaeger busted free to get four yards. First down! The mood quickly soured when a run play lost nine yards on first down. Felling then hauled in an on-the-mark pass over the middle by Illies, bolted past a defender and scored on a 20-yard catch with 1:24 left. Schwinghammer then caught the two-point conversion in the right corner to make it 23-22.
Parkers Prairie had the ball for just 39 seconds and punted on 4th-and-15. The Jaguars started on their 40-yard line, and a 21-yard run by Gilbert made a go-ahead touchdown a real possibility. With first down on the visitors' 19, B-B-E hurt their chances with two straight penalties. With 15 seconds left, Jaeger caught a 17-yard pass but was tackled just inside the left sideline. B-B-E called a timeout with six seconds left, and on their last play, Illies was flushed from the pocket, scrambled towards the right sideline and threw a bomb into the end zone. The Panthers secondary broke up the pass at the horn.
Halftime: Parkers Prairie 23, B-B-E 22.
*Below, video from the final minutes of the second quarter, which started with the Jaguars trailing 23-14. There were a few bleak moments in that second quarter - but the Jaguars finished strong heading into halftime!
After halftime, B-B-E's first-team defense gave up just one touchdown while they took over the game late in the third quarter and into the fourth quarter. Just six points were scored in the third quarter, while 26 points were scored in the fourth!
The Panthers had first possession in the third quarter. B-B-E's defense was all fired up, getting in the backfield on three straight plays - all incomplete passes. Ben Boie was credited with a hurry on second down, and on third down, Gilbert was Johnny-on-the-spot on an over-the-middle pass to Yohnke. The visitors had the ball just 14 seconds and punted from their 40-yard line.
From their 36-yard line, Gilbert had a 10-yard carry on the first play. Then Jaeger had a huge gain on a carry, but the Jaguars suffered a lost fumble at the visitors' 27-yard line with 10:54 left. Parkers Prairie didn't have the ball long, though, as the B-B-E defense smothered them with a six-yard loss on the second play, 2nd down and three to go. Following that was an incomplete pass and a punt.
The Jaguars restarted from their 39-yard line and quickly moved into Panthers' territory. A 12-yard catch by Jaeger on 3rd-and-7 was followed by a 23-yard run by Tyler Bents to get first down at the Panthers' 24. The Jaguars got nine-and-a-half yards on the next three plays, and Gilbert was stopped just short on 4th-and-2 at the visitors' 15-yard line with 6:24 left.
Parkers Prairie converted one first down on the next series, but on 4th-and-5 they punted from their 35-yard line with 4:21 left.
B-B-E started their eighth possession of the game from their 43. On 2nd-and-10, Felling ran with great blocking ahead of him to the left for 17 yards. Two plays later, Jaeger convered 3rd-and-10 with a wide-open, 23-yard catch in the left flats. Felling ran for 10 yards, and on 1st-and goal he ran in a seven-yard touchdown with 2:09 left. The extra-point failed, making the score 28-23 Jaguars.
Parkers Prairie answered with a 67-yard touchdown drive spanning the third and fourth quarters. Keys to the drive were eight- and 14-yard catches plus three runs good for eight yards each. On 3rd-and-4 with 9:34 left in the game, the Panthers scored to retake the lead. Senior tight end Ross Ruckheim caught the two-point conversion to make it 31-28 Panthers.
With something to prove, the Jaguars stormed right back, starting on their 40-yard line and getting a 10-yard run by Illies on the first play. Jaeger than ran for 15 yards, and Gilbert followed that with a 13-yard carry. With first down at the Panthers' 22, Jaeger and his blockers blasted the Panthers defense with a 22-yard run with 8:22 left. The extra-points attempt was no good, leaving it B-B-E 34, Parkers Prairie 31.
What followed was absolutely incredible! The Thomas Kollman kickoff flew inside the 20-yard line and rolled near the end zone. The Panthers managed just a few yards on the return, and the Jaguars special teams crew smothered the return at the visitors' 13-yard line. The Panthers went three-and-out, and their punt was blocked, with the ball sailing high in the air and landing at the Parkers Prairie 10-yard line with 6:50 left. Seconds later, Gilbert scored from 10 yards out on B-B-E's first and only play of the drive. Illies ran in the two-point conversion, and suddenly the Jaguars were on top 42-31!
The Panthers started on their 35 on their next drive, got stuffed on their first run play and then had two incomplete passes before punting. The Jaguars got the ball back with 5:39 left at their own 38-yard line. Gilbert converted second down with a 13-yard run, then blasted the Panthers with a 17-yard carry. Two plays later on second-and-goal, Gilbert ran in a seven-yard touchdown to make it a three-score game, 48-31.
Final score: B-B-E 48, Parkers Prairie 37. The fourth quarter was nothing short of INCREDIBLE! The Jaguars scored 20 straight points to take a 48-31 lead late in the fourth quarter with about two minutes left, when Adam Jaeger scored on an eight-yard carry.
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| Sarah Schmitz leading the B-B-E student section in the roller coaster during the fourth quarter after the Jaguars took a 34-31 lead. |
Ryan Illies put up terrific quarterback numbers, going 12-of-19 for 127 yards with one touchdown. Complementing his passing was a robust, brawny ground game that amassed 268 rushing yards and B-B-E's six other touchdowns!
Parkers Prairie's Matt Ferley put up equally impressive numbers, as their senior quarterback had 9-of-22 passing marks for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
The Jaguars improve to 4-1 overall and 4-0 in Midstate, Sub-District 3. They haven't been 4-1 since the 2013 season. Also, they remain in a tie for first place along with Upsala/Swanville area, who remains undefeated at 5-0 overall after defeating visiting Browerville 30-14 tonight. Next for B-B-E is the longest road trip on the schedule, as the Jaguars head north to New York Mills for Week Six.
With this win, B-B-E's football program improves to 11-18 overall on Homecoming night. Five of those 11 wins have come in the Coach Moscho era (est. 2010).
*Here's video from the fourth quarter tonight, moments after the Jaguars took a 34-31 lead...the fans were amazing!!! They ROCKED that stadium!! Thank you to senior Sarah Schmitz for leading the students!
I want to say a special thanks to the fans for their extra push they gave in the second half when the game was hanging in the balance! My adrenaline was through the roof, and mid-way through the third quarter - after the Panthers took a 31-28 lead - I asked myself, "How do I not get kicked out of the game?" while still trying my best to get our fans in the stadium cranked up. Somehow, by some miracle, I pulled it off. It was a terribly exciting finish to what has been a very emotional week, and an especially emotional day, in Jaguar Country.
The video highlight reel will be incredible tonight! I'll need about a half hour to start processing the clips. Stay tuned!
Midstate, Sub-District 3 football scores in Week Five, September 29:
Upsala/Swanville Area 30, Browerville 14
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 36, New York Mills 0 (at Murdock)
Royalton 46, Kimball Area 44
Area football scores in Week Five, September 29:
Paynesville Area 66, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 8 (Bulldogs pile up 523 yards of offense!)
Moorhead 36, Willmar 20
Ottertail Central 43, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 0
BOLD 68, Benson 0
New London-Spicer 56, Litchfield 20
Russel-Tyler-Ruthton 22, MACCRAY 0
Sauk Centre 28, Osakis 14
Hancock 46, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 19
Melrose Area 40, Rockford Area 7
Yellow Medicine East 15, Lakeview 8
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 41, Montevideo 7
Minnewaska Area 35, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta
Lac qui Parle Valley 27, Canby 6
Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity 32, Medford 22
Pierz 50, Eden Valley-Watkins 12
Brandon-Evansville 44, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 0
Mayer Lutheran 42, Kenyon-Wanamingo 14
Holdingford 20, Maple Lake 15
Mountain Lake Area 30, Renville County West 27
