The Minnesota West football team captured its first victory of the season Saturday afternoon, as the Bluejays took their home opener after three straight road game losses with a 21-8 triumph over Central Lakes.
The game began inauspiciously for the Jays, as Central Lakes got on the board first in the opening quarter for a 6-0 lead. Minnesota West, though, had an eight-play, 49 yard drive in the second quarter culminate with an eight-yard TD run by quarterback Brock Starley. The point-after kick was blocked, and the game was tied at 6-6.
Later in the second quarter an eight-play, 52-yard drive was capped by a six-yard scoring pass from Starley to Ian Stamer, and Mike Peralta’s PAT made it 13-6. That was the score at halftime,
Stamer caught a 15-yard TD pass from Starley in the third quarter and Stephen Lewis snared a two-point conversion for a 21-6 Minnesota West advantage. Central Lakes got a safety on a bad snap on a Bluejays’ punt early in the fourth quarter, but Minnesota West’s defense registered a stop on a 4th-and-goal from the 2 later in the period and held from there.
For the Jays’ offense, Starley was 18-for-33 passing for 173 yards, 2 TDs and an interception. Rashard Anderson had 62 yards to lead the running game, and Stamer had 123 receiving yards to go along with his two TDs. On defense, JayVarion Peters-Johnson had a combined 11 tackles and Ke’untay Felton and Darrick Baartman had 10 combined tackles each. Larrey Williams III had a pair of interceptions.
Minnesota West plays Saturday afternoon at Rochester.
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Jesse Nitzschke of Worthington was the victor in Saturday morning’s King Turkey Day 10K race, completing the course in a clocking of 35:09 to win the annual Worthington event.
The 27-year-old Nitzschke ran an average 5 minute, 40 second mile in finishing ahead of second-place Nate Helling, 42, of Sioux Falls, who had a final time of exactly 40 minutes. Taking third among the men was 61-year-old Mark Kocak of Jackson, who had a final time of 42:42.
Among the women, Kaitlin Goforth of Albert Lea crossed the finish line first with a time of 42:27 that was good enough for third overall. Goforth, age 30, ran at a per-mile pace of 6:50. Second among the women and 12th overall was LeAnn Barduson of Worthington at 46:29; third was Leah Hartung of Fairmont at 48:04.
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The Worthington Trojans football team fell to 0-3 on the season with a 27-0 home loss to St. Peter on Friday night.
After St. Peter got possession of the football on Joshua Bosacker’s interception during the first Trojans’ series, Abagotte Opiew got a pick of his own for Worthington when he won a battle with Bosacker on a pass at the goal line. Bosacker, though, forced a WHS fumble moments later, and soon scored the game first touchdown for two yards out – and then kicked the extra point as well – for a seven-point Saints lead.
A good Trojans drive later in the first quarter wound up stalling in St. Peter territory, and the Saints would make it 20-0 by halftime thanks to a pair of second-quarter TDs by Cole Filand. His first came on a 17-yard pass from QB Peyton Odland, and the second was on a seven-yard run.
The final St. Peter score came with just 1:36 left in the game on a nine-yard run by Tate Olson. The Saints are now 1-2, while the Trojans will look to get their first win next Friday at Marshall.
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In area high school football Friday night, it was:
Renville County West 19, Red Rock Central 13 (OT)
Mountain Lake Area 18, Edgerton 14
Hills-Beaver Creek 42. Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 14
Adrian 35, Sleepy Eye 8
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 25, Murray County Central 8
Martin County West 13, Minnesota Valley Lutheran 6
Luverne 36, Windom Area 0
Jackson County Central 34, Blue Earth Area 26
Pipestone Area 56, Sibley East 7
Fairmont 41, Jordan 20
Marshall 56, New Ulm 0
Sioux Central 20, Sibley-Ocheyedan 7 West Sioux 45, Emmetsburg 14 Western Christian 42, Ridge View 7 Central Lyon/George-Little Rock 38, West Lyon 17
Sheldon 18, Okoboji 0
Spirit Lake 47, Pocahontas Area 6
Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 66, MMCRU 34
Harris-Lake Park 63, Fort Dodge St. Edmond 34
