Friday Night Lights II: Jaguar football is 2-0! (VIDEOS)

It is a VIVID and EXCITING MEMORY! It was 20 years ago this night! (Technically, it was Friday, September 8, 2006) The B-B-E Jaguars football team improved to 2-0 early in the 2006 season with a 27-0 beat down of Class 3A Rockford on the home gridiron. In the 2006 season opener, the Jaguars traveled to Ogilvie and won 36-22. That season had a final record of 3-7, however, as the Jaguars did not win again until the playoff opener in Belgrade. It was during THAT football season that this sports blog was born. (More on that, later.)

Fast forward to tonight: while hosting the Mid-Northwest Gold District opener on the home gridiron, the Jaguars faced West Central Area. With 20 players dressed for the game, the Jaguars battled with all kinds of heart until the final horn while recording a 20-14 win. It marks just the 8th time in B-B-E history that the football team has a 2-0 start to the season. The first time was in 1997, and the second time did not occur until the 2006 season. Under Coach Chris Moscho, the Jaguars started 2-0 in the 2013 season. The fourth 2-0 start in school history was in 2021. At this point, B-B-E now has four straight 2-0 starts to the football season. I find this a terrific accomplishment!

Next: the Jaguars host Upsala/Swanville Area in Week 3.

The WCA Knights were the superior team in the first quarter and led 8-0 at the first break. They took a 14-0 lead on a fumble recovery and roughly a 35-yard return for a touchdown. This occurred with 8:44 on the clock in the second quarter. The two-point conversion pass was tipped in the end zone, and WCA held a 14-0 lead at that point.

The Jaguars responded in the exact fashion they needed to. They failed to score on their first four possessions of the game. The fifth possession started at their own 30-yard line. Two carries by Lance Radermacher and then an 8-yard catch by Radermacher moved the chains. Aiden Mueller then ran a 29-yard quarterback keeper to WCA's 28. On 3rd-and-3, Austin Berge got a 3-yard catch to move the chains a third time. On the next play, which was the drive's 8th play overall, Berge hauled in an 18-yard touchdown reception from Mueller. Mueller then ran off left tackle for the two-point conversion, and now the Jaguars trailed 14-8 with 5:06 on the clock.

WCA's next drive lasted just two plays. On the second play, Tyler Myers knocked the ball loose from a WCA ball carrier, and Baron Breitbach was Johnny-on-the-spot with a fumble recovery. With 4:55 to go, the Jaguars were in business again, and they had the ball starting on WCA's 39-yard line.

B-B-E needed just 2 plays to score again. On 2nd-and-9, Mueller threw a bomb to the endzone, and Noah DeRoo caught the ball in the endzone for a 38-yard reception. It was a jump ball play, and WCA's defender was in the exact right spot. DeRoo tipped the ball but kept running. He managed to catch the ball and land in pay dirt. Tie game! 14 to 14! The PAT kick was blocked. With 4:08 left before halftime, the Jaguars and Knights had battled to a draw. That score stood to halftime.

Here's a third quarter video tonight:


Here's a video from early in the fourth quarter:


I still have a massive amount of notes to comb through.

Here's a video showing the game in the balance in the latter part of the fourth quarter tonight:


A few game statistics:
The Jaguars outgained the Knights 234 yards to 181 overall. WCA had 100 rushing yards to 98 for the Jaguars. Turnovers were a draw: each team had one interception thrown, and each team had one lost fumble. This was a very even game, but the Jaguars managed to outplay WCA in the second, third and fourth quarters to earn the big district win.

One statistic jumps out at me: WCA's talented senior quarterback, Owen Gruchow, carried the ball two times tonight. On those two carries, the Knights had a net loss of 18 yards. That made a huge difference in the game.

Week 2 area football scores on September 11:
Border West 46, Hancock 0
Albany 20, Pequot Lakes 19
Willmar 42, Westonka 0
Rock Ridge 50, St. Cloud Apollo 6
Upsala/Swanville Area 52, Benson 7
Osakis 22, Minnewaska Area 21
Otter Tail Central 28, New York Mills 6
Hills-Beaver Creek 46, Renville County West 6
Minneota 55, Eden Valley-Watkins 0
Monticello 22, Alexandria 6

More to come. Video is uploading.