BISMARCK – Since a stunning homecoming loss to Valley City, Jamestown Blue Jay Football has been determined to be better. That has shown for two straight games, and did emphatically this time.
Kellen Hartsad rushed for 153 yards, Ryan Kallenbach passed for a touchdown and ran for two more and Jamestown’s defense was stifling in a 21-6 over St. Mary’s Friday at Our Lady of Victory Stadium.
Exchanges of punts, a Jamestown turnover and a St. Mary’s punt kept the game scoreless until about midway through the second quarter, when Harstad began an 86-yard scoring drive with a 54-yard run. Kallenbach ended the drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Nate Walz and Jamestown (4-3, 2-1 AA West) led 7-0 with 6:10 left in the half.
After St. Mary’s punted, Jamestown drove in over four minutes from their 32 to the Saints’ 20 before Chase Traut left a 37-yard field goal short and the Blue Jays’ lead was 7-0 at halftime.
Then, Jamestown seized control with the opening drive of the second half. Kallenbach threw four first-down passes, including a 35-yard to Max Rittenbach to move to the St. Mary’s 11. Three plays later, Kallenbach scrambled in from the 10 and a second extra point by Traut gave Jamestown a 14-0 lead.
St. Mary’s (3-4, 1-2) scored their only points on their next drive. Helped by a 31-yard run by Beckett Price, the drive ended with an eight-yard scoring pass from Jacoby Grimm to Dominic Zander. Max Rittenbach blocked the extra point try to keep the Jamestown lead at 14-6.
A punt exchange took the game to the fourth quarter, and Kallenbach ended a 58-yard drive with a five-yard scoring keeper with 9:15 left.
Walz intercepted a Grimm pass with 3:47 left and Jamestown kept the ball for the rest of the game, using six Harstad carries to run the clock out.
Harstad carried the ball 20 times. Kallenbach was 21 of 32 for 255 yards with a touchdown and interception. Rittenbach had five catches for 104 yards. Walz had four for 76. Jackson Jarrett had four for 31.
Defensively, the Blue Jays held St. Mary’s to 192 yards and had sacks from Jarrett, Vaughn Romsdal and Jett Wharton.
On Thursday, Jamestown will host Minot North at Rollie Greeno Field at Charlotte & Gordon Hansen Stadium. Coverage will begin Thursday at 6:30 PM on Jamestown 107.1. A win would clinch a playoff berth for the Blue Jays.