Friday Night Lights II: Jaguars earn a statement win (VIDEOS)

That was ALL BUSINESS from start to finish!

Facing their second straight road opponent to start the season, the B-B-E Jaguars football team played with tremendous focus and determination while putting the hammer down on a talented West Central Area Knights squad. After posting an incredible 36-6 halftime lead, the Jaguars won by a final score of 44-14. The Jaguars subbed straight to the JV units once the fourth quarter started. The damage was done by then, and it is important to rest the first string during the final quarter.

Here's Owen Paulson's two-point conversion run after B-B-E's first touchdown of the night:


The Jaguars scored with 8:27 left in the first quarter and ultimately led 24-0 at the end of the first quarter. After the defense held WCA to three net yards on their second series, the Jaguars struck like lightning when Brett DeRoo caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from Luke Dingmann to score with 7:10 left. Paulson again ran in the two-point conversion. B-B-E's third touchdown came on a 44-yard drive that was capped by Josh Walstrom's 15-yard reception with 3:49 left. Luke Illies caught a two-point conversion pass for the 24-0 lead. Touchdowns followed in the second quarter on receptions by Walstrom (24 yards) and Illies (35 yards).

At halftime, the Jaguars had racked up an unofficial 296 yards of offense with four separate receivers earning touchdown strikes from Dingmann on 11-of-18 passing. They had 55 rushing yards, with 24 from Dingmann and 22 from Toby Cebulla. I had my hands full for the entire 24 minutes keeping track of everything taking place on the field. It was a SIGHT to take in! That could very well be a school record for one half of a football game at B-B-E.

For the record...this is just the FIFTH time in school history that the football team has started the season 2-0. This is such a rare achievement, and one of the other four times they've done that was in 2021. The other three 2-0 starts came in 1997, 2007 and 2013.

Official statistics show the Jaguars racked up 424 yards of offense with 144 coming on the ground and 280 in the air on Luke Dingmann's 13-of-25 passing marks with six touchdown strikes. The top receiver tonight was Brett DeRoo, who had 82 yards on four catches with one touchdown. B-B-E made good on four of six two-point conversion attempts. Defensively, the Jaguars tallied 7 tackles for a loss plus two quarterback sacks.

WCA's quarterback, Brady Lindquist, had 7-of-16 passing marks for 104 yards and two interceptions.

NEXT: the Jaguars (2-0) host Benson for the home opener next Friday, September 15. Spread the word! If you didn't know by now, you heard it here first: the Jaguars are for real. More to come. Video is uploading, and I still need the final supper of my night. It will be at least a couple hours for me before this adrenaline high wears off!!!

**Here's Coach Moscho in a short post-game interview!


My memory card ran full before we completed the interview. I had a few struggles tonight with technology...that was just one of them.

*Here's a clip from the middle of the third quarter tonight as WCA was driving with their ninth possession of the game:


WCA opened the second half with possession and drove from their own 21-yard line into B-B-E territory. They had 1st-and-10 on the B-B-E 47, but the Jaguars later stopped them one yard short for a turnover on downs at B-B-E's 38-yard line with 8:43 on the clock. The Jaguars then struggled and gained a net two yards on three plays before punting. WCA took over on their 28-yard line with 7:37 left and put together a sustained drive into the red zone. Then on 2nd-and-6, the Knights suffered a lost fumble while also committing a penalty. B-B-E then set up their offense with 3:55 left in the third quarter on their own 27-yard line. However, they earned just one first down on that drive and punted from midfield with 2:22 left.

WCA came out firing and displayed a better brand of football after halftime. They were playing for pride for their home fans, and they picked up their level of play and gave the Jaguars a challenge that was lacking in the first half. The Jaguars had enough by the time the third quarter was winding down, and on their 11th drive of the game, they struck fast and hard with a two play, 37-yard touchdown drive. Josh Walstrom hauled in a fabulous 31-yard touchdown reception deep in the right flats to make it 42-6 with 1:17 to go. Braeden Michels ran in the two-point conversion for a 44-6 lead. It was after that point in which the Jaguars turned things over to the JV units.

Just saw this...tonight in Benson, the Braves hosted Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg in an all-Swift County border battle. The only problem was that no real battle took place. The K-M-S Fighting Saints, who have aspirations of their own for the regular season and the playoffs, took the short drive back home with a 41-0 shut out win. Benson falls to 0-2 overall. Last week in their season opener, the Braves hosted Mahnomen/Waubun and lost 37-0.

Mid-Northwest Gopher Gold Sub-District scores in Week II on September 8:
Browerville 30, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 24 (OT)
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 41, Benson 0
Upsala/Swanville Area 43, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 0 (Good grief! The U/SA Patriots are very, very good)

Area football scores in Week II on September 8:
New London-Spicer 10, Foley 6
Eden Valley-Watkins 52, St. Cloud Cathedral 13
Lac qui Parle Valley 13, Dawson-Boyd 7
Sauk Centre 46, Minnewaska Area 8
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 40, Thief River Falls 21
Paynesville Area 14, Maple Lake 0
Holdingford 40, Royalton 0
Osakis 28, Kimball Area 14
BOLD 67, MACCRAY 7
Parkers Prairie 49, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 0
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 21, Montevideo 6
Minneota 63, Yellow Medicine East 19
Albany 43, Melrose Area 0
Pierz 26, Rockford Area 14


Click here to read about and order tickets for the Monson Lake Opry Festival that takes place on Saturday (tomorrow) in Hayes Township, rural Sunburg! Link: https://tinyurl.com/mppfc7p4.