Late 4th Quarter Score Gets Jacks By Barnum 26-20

Chris Shevich-NSO Pics by Chris

Click here for the complete game box score

For additional photos click here to view our complete photo gallery

Sept 7, 2012

Kerry Rodd-NSO

CLOQUET – There was a lot of bewilderment prior to the Cloquet vs. Barnum football game on Friday. Cloquet fans were wondering why, when their school has been moved up into Class 4A, would they play a Class A school in Barnum. There was also a no-win thought by some of those fans who knew darn well that the Bombers, regardless of the class they play in, are a tough hard-nose group that could beat anyone on any given night. Barnum nearly pulled out the victory, but to the Jacks credit they persevered long enough to sneak out a 26-20 home win over the Bombers.

The fans speculation from each side was interesting. Cloquet fans speculating that no matter what happens they were in a lose-lose situation. Playing a smaller school, a team you should beat based on size, yet a team you know your home team could lose to because of how good they are despite a now 0-2 record. On the Barnum side it was more of an anticipation of lets show this bigger school what we can do. In the end Barnum more than held their own.

The Bombers stopped Cloquet on the Jacks opening drive of the game and then showed how tough they were by going on a 13-play, 64-yard drive that culminated in a Colton Selix 9-yard touchdown run with 2:27 left in the first quarter. However the Bombers were unable to convert their conversion pass and led the game 6-0.

Cloquet responded with a 12-play drive of their own that covered 66-yards and ended when quarterback Sean Kedrowski tossed a pass to the left corner of the end zone that was nabbed by Dylan McIvor who laid out and made a spectacular catch for the touchdown. Cloquet’s extra point kick was wide left and the game was tied at 6-6 with 8:18 left in the first half.

Barnum took the opening kick of the second half and drove the ball to the Cloquet seven where they were stopped on fourth and short allowing Cloquet to take over possession of the ball. The Jacks then hooked up on a big play when Kedrowski found Kaleb Kadelbach streaking up field with a pass that found Kadelbach taking the ball all the way to the Bombers three-yard line. The drive ended when Marquez Evans dove for the right-side pylon for a touchdown. Nick Niemi tacked on the extra point kick giving Cloquet a 13-6 lead.

Later in the quarter the Bombers responded when Brandon Newman slipped in the end zone on an 8-yard touchdown run, but the Bombers fumbled on the snap at center for the extra point leaving Cloquet up by a 13-12 score.

With 11:41 left in the fourth quarter the Lumberjacks topped off 7-play 35-yard drive when Henry Backus bulled in from the two-yard line giving Cloquet a 19-12 lead. The Jacks then opted to kick an extra point by Nick Niemi giving them a 20-12 lead.

Again the Bombers responded when they hit back-to-back long passes with the second pass covering 42-yards to paydirt with just 3:50 remaining in regulation to get Barnum to within 20-18. Barnum then got a Zac Carlson to Seth Vogt pass for the conversion tying the score at 20-20.

With 3:50 remaining the Jacks took the Bomber kickoff and marched down field in seven plays and eventually it was Backus crashing in from the nine-yard line for a score, giving Cloquet a 26-20 lead with 1:35 remaining in regulation. Niemi’s kick missed on the conversion and the Jacks held a precarious six-point lead.

One of the biggest plays of the game occurred on the ensuing kickoff when Cloquet Head Coach Tom Lenarz called for Nick Niemi to loft an on-side kick over the first row of players for Barnum which Niemi executed perfectly, allowing Paden LeBoeuf to recover and effectively give the Jacks the victory.

For the game the Bombers had 366 yards in total offense, while the Jacks had 345 yards in total offense. Barnum ended up with 23 first downs to 18 first downs for the Lumberjacks. Cloquet’s Kedrowski passed for 133 yards, while Carlson passed for 112 yards for Barnum. The Bombers added 254-rushing yards to 212-rushing yards for the Lumberjacks.

Henry Backus picked up 109 yards on the ground in the second half for the Jacks, while Colton Selix had 117 and Danny Warpula added 106 rushing yards for the Bombers.

The win improves Cloquet’s record to 1-1 on the season, while the Bombers drop to 0-2 after fighting hard but falling to Class AA state runners up Moose Lake-Willow River by a 21-6 score in week 1.

The Jacks will travel to Virginia on Friday while Barnum will make the trip up the shore to visit Cook County in what could be a preview of a game deep in the Section 7A playoffs.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com