huskies

The Wahpeton Huskies won big on Homecoming night, taking down the reining 11A Champs and ruining a potentially undefeated season for the Jamestown Blue Jays with a 14-13 victory.

At first, the stage appeared too large for Wahpeton. The Huskies struggled with Fargo North as well as Grand Forks Red River earlier this season- two teams that had lived in the top five of the power rankings all season. Jamestown brought a running attack and big blockers up the middle along with a proven quarterback in Payton Hochhalter, who finished the game with a 161 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

The Huskies punted on their first possession, which lead to a Jamestown taking the ball down the field and scoring on a two yard run by receiver  Tyson Jorissen. The extra point was good to make it 7-0. Then to start the second quarter, the Blue Jays scored again this time on a shovel pass while falling down from Hochhalter to his tight end Jackson Walters. The extra point was no good, making it 13-0 Jamestown.

This season, Wahpeton had not played well while trailing by more than two scores, but the Huskies were able to get on the board to end the half after senior QB Beau Arenstein connected with All State WR (and Homecoming King) Caden Kappes for a 22 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good and Wahpeton went into halftime trialing by seven, 13-6. Arenstein finished the game with 167 yards and a touchdown, while also running for a score. King Kappes finished with 112 receiving yards.

The third quarter was a back and fourth affair, but Wahpeton was able to string a drive together. Moving the ball down the field on short and intermediate passes, while also using Arenstein  and Treyton Mauch. Mauch finished as the leading rusher for Wahpeton with 93 yards on 13 carries. With under a minute in the third quarter, Arenstein was able to scramble into the end zone to cut the lead to one, 13-12

The old football adage goes something like, “Go for the Tie on the Road, Go for the Win at Home,” and on Homecoming night, with the stands packed with Huskie faithful, Wahpeton lined up to go for two and secure the win. Out of shotgun from the far hashmark, Arenstein rolled to his right with Kappes going from left to right in the back of the end zone. With pressure in his face, Arenstein’s pass floated over the Blue Jay defenders and into the hip pocket of a sliding Kappes to give the Huskies a 14-13 lead with just seconds left in the third quarter.

Jamestown had been here before though, and a team that wins a title knows how to overcome adversity. Jamestown started their drive at their own 20 yard line and marched down the field. On a third and eight with a little over 10 minutes left in the game, the entire landscape changed. Blue Jay’s QB Hochhalter was pressured up the middle by Wahpeton’s entire defense. Trying to float the ball where only his receiver to get to it, Hochhalter misjudged the distance, instead overthrowing his target- and instead finding a diving Huskie linebacker, Treyton Mauch’s, outstretched arms.

This would be one of the biggest plays of the season for Wahpeton, because the drive that followed ate up the entirety of the fourth quarter. An almost nine minute drive however ended with the Huskies during the ball over on their own five yard line on downs with 1:34 left in the game.

But even then, the Blue Jays weren’t out of it. Using the sidelines and in point passing, Hochhalter looked to redeem himself and retake the lead. The Blue Jays drove 85 yards, into the Whapeton red zone. On a third and goal from the Huskie 11 with 19 seconds left in the game, Hochhalter target his favorite receiver, Tyson Jorissen, the corner of the end zone. Rolling to his left, the right handed quarterback planted his feet to throw a strike to steal a win on the Huskies Homecoming night. However, Hochhalter did not see Sophomore Corner Jackson DeVries hiding in plain sight. The underclassmen was able to jump the rout, intercepting the pass and sealing the win for Wahpeton.