Alexander Football wins twice on the road
Titus Stenberg
Farmer Sports Writer
The Alexander Comets won their first road game of the year on August 29, when they traveled to Kenmare and beat the Kenmare-Bowbells Honkers 30-6.
The game started out as a field position battle with neither team scoring in the first quarter. Alexander got on the board first with their defense. On the first play of the second quarter, Jullian Gant intercepted a pass and ran it into the end zone from 17 yards out. Jacob Novak added the two-point conversion. After a defensive stand, Alexander took over and scored their second touchdown of the quarter when Corey Getzlaff took a handoff and ran 39 yards. Novak and Gant connected for a successful two-point conversion.
The special teams made a big play next when Colin Spell picked up a blocked punt at the 28-yard line and ran it in for a touchdown. Gant made his second interception of the first half when he jumped and made an incredible one-hand catch. Alexander scored again before halftime when Novak recorded a 6-yard touchdown run. Spell caught the two-point conversion pass from Novak to make it 30-0 Comets with 1:17 left in the second quarter.
“The second quarter was the story of the game for us,” said Alexander Head Coach, Trey Jacobson. “Jullian Gant’s interception for a touchdown gave us the spark we needed. From then on, we never let go of the momentum, scoring all 30 of our points in that quarter alone. Our offense put up two touchdowns and we also tallied a special teams touchdown on a blocked punt scoop-and-score. We preach complimentary football and the kids delivered.”
Kenmare-Bowbells got on the board late in the third quarter when Caleb Fraunfelter caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Zorn.
The game was called off with 11:23 left in the fourth quarter. Both teams had a player suffer an injury that required a lengthy pause in the action and medical attention from the Kenmare Ambulance.
“After putting together a great first half of football, the second half ended up being an unfortunate one,” said Coach Jacobson. “I’ve never been a part of a game where two kids have been taken off the field by ambulance. After Kenmare’s athletic director called a meeting with us coaches, we decided it was in both teams’ best interest and safety that the game ended early.”
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Comets 0 30 0 0 30
Honkers 0 0 6 0 6
Alexander offensive stats: Jacob Novak 2-of-4, 16 passing yards; Novak 10 rushes, 67 yards, TD; Corey Getzlaff 3 carries, 51 yards, TD; Rope Simonson 2 carries, 19 yards; Jullian Gant 1 reception, 13 yards
Alexander defensive stats: Jadon Champion 9 tackles, 1 TFL; Getzlaff 7 tackles, 1 TFL; Novak 7 tackles, 0.5 TFL; Colt Champion 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 blocked punt, 0.5 TFL; Eithen Gillespie 7 tackles; Kaiden Culbertson 6 tackles; Gant 2 tackles, 2 interceptions (1 for TD); Colin Spell 2 tackles, 1 blocked punt recovery returned for TD
Alexander 30,
Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood 24
“Going into the year, we knew M-L-S was going to be one of our biggest challenges of the year,” said Coach Jacobson. “After the Kenmare game last week, we were down two starters - Jacob Novak our QB, and Colt Champion, one of our linemen.”
Both teams came into the game at 2-0 with M-L-S receiving votes in the statewide poll. “The message all week was that we knew we had quality football players stepping into their roles, we just had to believe it and go show it. And the kids did just that.”
It was a thrilling game, tight the whole way with both teams responding when their opponent scored. Alexander tallied 290 yards of total offense, and once again got a huge defensive touchdown as Jadon Champion recorded a pick-6. Jullian Gant also grabbed an interception.
“In an absolute dog fight of a game that was close the whole way, our kids showed grit and determination to walk out of Mohall with a win,” continued Coach Jacobson. “M-L-S marched down the field with their first possession and scored. It was time to see how our kids would react after receiving the first punch, and we punched back by scoring on our first drive.” Both defenses settled in and held their opponents off the scoreboard for the rest of the first half.
With Colt Champion and Jacob Novak out of the lineup, Alexander asked other players to step up and they did in a major way. Coach Jacobson said: “I can’t say enough about Jr. Eithen Gillespie, Sr. Rope Simonson, and Fr. Charlie Kline who stepped into the roles of QB, DB, and OL. It was a seamless transition. The whole team rallied around each other and fought for four quarters. I was super proud. That’s all I could say when the buzzer sounded to end the game with us holding on to win 30-24. Pretty dang special group of kids putting together a win we will never forget.”
Alexander and Divide County are the only two remaining undefeated teams in Region 3. Up next for the Comets will be a home game against Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn on Friday, September 12.
1 2 3 4 Final
Alexander 8 0 6 16 30
Mohall-L-S 8 0 0 16 24
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Alexander 8 0 6 16 30
M-L-S 8 0 0 16 24
Alexander offense: Eithen Gillespie 6-of-11, 88 passing yards, TD, 2 INTs; Collin Spell 3 receptions, 34 yards, 1 TD; Jadon Champion 1 reception, 42 yards; Kaiden Culbertson 1 reception, 9 yards; Jullian Gant 1 reception, 3 yards; Corey Getzlaff 10 carries, 82 yards, 2 TDs; Gillespie 14 rushes, 57 yards; Rope Simonson 11 carries, 33 yards; Gant 4 carries, 30 yards
Alexander defense: Getzlaff 11 tackles; Gillespie 8 tackles, 2 TFLs; Simonson 9 tackles; Culbertson 4 tackles; J. Champion 3 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 INT (for TD); Gant 2 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT; Spell 3 tackles
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