Jays hold off Hubmen

Waseca’s homecoming was almost spoiled as the Bluejay football team, ranked 9th in state, escaped with a 22-21 win over Jordan Friday, September 30.

A back-and-forth game saw three lead changes, with the Hubmen scoring first, the Bluejays scoring last, and the game coming down to the final drive. 

After an 11-play drive which used five minutes of game time, the Bluejays turned the ball over on downs after Max Neaves was tackled on a sweep right on the Hubmen 1-yard line. 

On Jordan’s first play, a pick-six from Deron Russell was called back after pass interference.

Another interference call set up the Hubmen at their own 30-yard with just under three minutes to play. Two completions from Gavin Lloyd to Preston Hochschild, who had several big plays on the day, including a 48-yard touchdown connection in the first quarter, set up the Hubman at midfield. After a controversial run play on 4th-and-1, which went the Hubmen’s way, the game was iced on an Oliver O’Brien interception with 40 seconds to play. 

With the win the Bluejays improved to 4-1 and the Hubmen fell to 3-2. 

“This was one to remember,” Waseca head coach Brad Wendland told players after the game. 

But maybe not for the right reasons. 

“In a really big game we lacked juice and I think we almost took this win for granted… I’m disappointed. Homecoming took its toll. I thought we went through the motions in the first half. We were tired and not emotional.

“I’m gonna reserve comments until after I watch the tape,” Wendland concluded. “This game will help us in the long run.”

“Learning how to win games (when we don’t feel the greatest) goes a long way,” Waseca’s defensive coach said after the game. “We'll be a better team because of this game.”

After trading possessions back and forth twice, the Hubmen struck first in the first quarter on an arcing 49-yard touchdown pass from Lloyd to Hochschild. After Lloyd was pressured and rolled out right, he hit Hochschild, who got behind the Bluejays defense, capping off a five play 67-yard drive. 

The Bluejays answered with two straight touchdowns. 

Ignited by a run of 27 yards from senior Kyle Ahschlager, the Bluejays capped off a quick six-play drive of 66 yards with a 6-yard run from Christian Rodriguez. Oliver O’Brien ran in the two point conversion, putting the Bluejays ahead, ultimately for good. 

Despite not trailing the rest of the game, the Bluejays couldn’t pull away. 

The next Hubman possession ended with a Demarious Russell interception, followed by another big run, this time for a touchdown of 51 yards from Ahschlager. Rodriguez converted the two-point run. 

Jordan answered again, going 76 yards on 10 plays, capped off by a six-yard touchdown run up the gut by Leo Siekmann. 

At halftime the Jays led 16-14.

Jordan received the opening second-half kickoff and methodically drove down the field, going 13 plays, using almost six minutes of game clock, before Siekmann ran in it from a yard out on a sweeping toss play to the left side. 

The Bluejays wasted no time scoring on their next play from scrimmage. In his longest run of the night, Ahlschlager capped off his 165-yard rushing performance with a 53-yard run, going middle, before breaking left, making the last Hubman defender miss with a little stop and go, before racing up the left sideline. O’Brien was stopped on the two-point try, but the final score proved to be just enough. 

Defensively, Brendan Brown led the Bluejays in tackles with 5, followed by Kneaves, Ahlschlager, and O’Brien each with 4 apiece.

The Blujeays had a short week, returning to play Thursday at New Ulm. They host Worthington Thursday, Oct. 13 and finish the regular season at Luverne Wendesday, Oct. 19.

 

 

Waseca 22, Jordan 21

 

JOR                        7     7      0       0 — 21

WAS                       0    16     6       0 — 22

 

First Quarter

JOR - Hochschild 49 reception from Lloyd (Valle kick)

Second Quarter

WAS – Rodriguez 4 run (O’Brien run)

WAS - Ahlschlager 53 run (Rodriguez run)

JOR - Seikmann 3 run (Valle kick)

Third Quarter

JOR - Hochschild 1 run (Valle kick)

WAS - Ahlschlager 53 run (run failed)

Fourth Quarter

No scoring

 

                                       JOR       WAS

First downs                             14          10

Rushing                             37-112   42-269

Passing                               9-20-2      3-7-0

Passing Yds.                           147         33

Total offense                         259        302

Penalties                               2-10      6-50

 

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing – WAS: Ahlschlager 8-165; Rodriguez 17-69; Neaves 3-18; O’Brien 13-15; Da. Russell 1-2; JOR: Siekmann 28-113; Lloyd 1-1; Olson 1 —1

Passing – WAS: O’Brien 3-7, 33; JOR: Lloyd 9-19, 147; Olson 0-1, 0

Receiving – WAS: Harguth 1-16; Neaves 1-13; Keeton 1-4; JOR: Hochschild 5-107; Koch 2-23; Bakeberg 1-10; Kes 1-7

Defense – WAS: Ahlschlager 4 tackles, 2 assists; Neaves 4 tackles, 6 assists; Da. Russell 1 tackle, 1 interception; O’Brien 4 tackles, 5 assists, 1 interception; Ohnstad 1 tackle; De. Russell 2 tackles, 3 assists; J.Thompson 2 tackles, 2 assists; Moncada 1 tackle; Johnston 3 tackles, 4 assists; N.Thompson 1 assist; Robran 2 tackles, 2 sacks; Droog 2 tackles, 1 assist; Stenzel 3 tackles, 3 assists; Brown 5 tackles, 2 assists; N. Engel-Mueller 1 assist; Rupe 1 assist; S. Engel-Mueller 2 tackles, 2 assists; Rodney 1 assist; Ellis 3 tackles; Balderas 1 tackle.