Photo from NDHSAA
FARGO, ND. (NewsDakota.com) – The Jamestown High School football team won its first outright state title since 1937 on Friday night as the Blue Jays took down St. Mary’s 41-27 at the Fargodome.
A back and forth offensive slugfest in the first half left both sides in a good position as the game was tied at 20 entering the break. In the third quarter, the Blue Jays scored with 5:51 to go when Payton Hochhalter hit Brode Hillstrom from 12 yards out to put Jamestown ahead 27-20.
The biggest play of the game for Jamestown came as the clock expired in the third quarter when Aden Braun stripped Saints quarterback Nick Schumacher, and Thomas Allmer scooped the ball up and rumbled 50 yards to the endzone for a Blue Jay touchdown.
Jamestown’s lead was cut to seven early in the fourth when Schumacher ran it in from 24 yards for his lone rushing touchdown of the day. With 2:47 to go in the fourth, the Blue Jays put the nail in the coffin when Jakob Schempp ran 37 yards up the gut into the North endzone to give Jamestown a 41-27 advantage.
Hochhalter finished 17-28 for 148 yards with three touchdown and one interception. On the ground, Schempp finished with 152 yards on 29 carries for two scores. The senior tailback had 103 yards rushing in the second half.
For the receving core, the Blue Jays were led by Devin Beach who hauled in six receptions for 56 yards and a score. Preston Kroeber had five grabs for 44 yards, and Adam Kallenbach ended the night with three catches for 33 yards and a score. Brode Hillstrom’s lone reception was a touchdown.
Defensivley, the Blue Jays forced three total turnovers, two fumbles and an intercepiton. Colton Mewes and Jackson Walters led Jamestown with 5.5 tackles each, and Beach added in 4.5 more. Aden Braun finished with four tackels and the strip sack.
Jamestown wraps up the 11A season as state champions for the first time since 1956 when they were co-champs with the Fargo Midgets. St. Mary’s ends the year at 10-2 overall with their only two losses coming to the Blue Jays.