Sep 23

Written by: ngreditor
9/23/2008 4:54 PM 

Defending state champs stop Jays at Homecoming

Coach Bill Mimick

Early last week the Omaha World Herald Newspaper Sports Department projected the Pope John and Newman Grove football game for Friday, September 19, as one of their top feature 8-man football games of the week.

The game lived up to that, Pope John (2-0 with wins 55-0 and 44-0) and Newman Grove (2-0 with wins 56-6 and 42-14) battled a full 4 quarters of hard hitting football. The game was witnessed by one of the largest crowds to attend a sporting event in recent years in Newman Grove.

Pope John built a 20-0 halftime lead but Newman Grove came back the second half to cut the margin to 20-16 before the Crusaders scored a touchdown and extra point late in the game to make the final score 28-16. Respect was well earned by both teams.

The Bluejays drove inside Pope John’s 15 yard line on two other occasions only to be stopped at Pope John’s one foot line. The Crusaders drove inside Newman Grove’s 15 yard line on 3 occasions only to be turned back.

Pope John did what Newman Grove likes to do, possess and control the ball. Crusaders had 57 offensive plays to Jays 37. The Jays got the better of the special team plays.

Pope John is now 3-0 for the year and has a 16 game winning streak. The Jays are 2-1 for the year and will bounce back Friday, September 26, at home for Parent’s Night, against West Boyd County (Spencer-Naper/ Butte) who was a playoff team last year.

This year’s King & Queen were Jared Rasmussen; son of Keith & Lonnelle Rasmussen and Kelsey Wallin; daughter of Brian & Christie Wallin.