The Jamestown High School football team took on Grand Forks Central Friday night in a Class AA state semi-final matchup.

Through the first half, it was not the most “pretty” football game, especially for Jamestown who would not be able to put themselves on the scoreboard through 2 quarters of play. Grand Forks Central was not much ahead though in terms of slow offense. The Knights would only get on the board with 15 seconds left in the 1st quarter when quarterback Jack Simmers ran for a 5-yard touchdown to give Grand Forks Central a 7-0 lead.
Late in the 2nd quarter, Jamestown would get inside the red zone, but quarterback Thomas Newman would carry the ball on a QB keeper and would fumble on a tackle from Bryce Griffore on the Knight 14-yard line. Jamestown would be down at the half 7-0.

In the 3rd quarter, the action was mostly good defense from both sides. Coming out of the 2nd half, receiver Nate Walz would return the ball down to the Grand Forks Central 41-yard line, but a holding penalty would be called, and the Blue Jays would go 3 and out on that drive after. The Knights would not cross the 50-yard line through the 3rd quarter.

Thomas Newman with 10:50 left in the 4th quarter would rush the ball in for a 6-yard touchdown run. Jamestown would tie it up 7-7. The Knights on their next drive would finally cross the 50-yard line but Simmers on the next play after crossing midfield would be intercepted by Cephy Sayler and he would return the ball to the 50-yard line. Nate Walz would catch a 29-yard pass to get the Blue Jays down to the 21-yard line. The Blue Jays would finish that drive off with a Thomas Newman 17-yard touchdown pass to Max Rittenbach. Newman was brought in on plays to scramble and hand it off to that point, catching the defense off guard and Rittenbach catching his first touchdown of the season. Sarah Sletto would be pressured on the extra point and would miss making the score 13-7 with 8 minutes left in the ball game.

Grand Forks Central on their next drive would turn it over via a Walz interception with 5:19 left in the 4th quarter and the Blue Jays would have the football on the Knights’s 18-yard line. Tyson Jorrison who had been running hard all night fumbled the football on a hard hit with 5:19 left in the ball game. The Knights on 2nd and 10 on their 39-yard line would dial up a huge play via busted coverage defensively from Jamestown. Leo Strandell would catch a 61-yard touchdown pass wide open downfield from Simmers tying the ball game back up at 13-13 with 1:52 left in the 4th quarter. Ross Wilber would knock in the extra point giving Grand Forks Central the lead 14-13.

Jamestown would end up in a 4th and 12 from inside their 20-yard line but would get a first down on a catch by Walz to the Blue Jay’s 31-yard line with no timeouts and under a minute to play. Jamestown would not be able to keep the drive alive as Newman would get the ball on a reverse from quarterback Ryan Kallenbach, he would let it rip deep as he was being hit but the ball would sail over the middle of the defense deep down the field and the pass would be intercepted by Strandell. Jamestown would lose 13-14 ending their playoff run.

Nate Walz had 6 catches for 6o yards, and Jamestown would rush for 127 yards in total.
Grand Forks Central will face off against Fargo North in the Dakota Bowl.