Cloquet Pounds Bluejackets

Photos by: Shelly Robideaux

The Cloquet Lumberjacks bounced back from their first loss of the season by pounding out a 42-6 victory over Hibbing in Cloquet on Friday night. 

Cloquet’s formula for success was pretty basic, ‘score nearly every time you touch the ball’, and don’t let the Blue Jackets get into the end zone.  Quarterback Maxx Brenner did his part in leading the Jacks to the win as Cloquet scored on six of seven possessions of the game, while Hibbing managed to score on only their final possession of the game.

  Henry Backus opened the scoring for the Jacks at the end of an eight play drive off the opening kickoff by bulling one yard for a score with 9:10 remaining in the first quarter.  The Jacks also added the extra point on a Nick Niemi boot to make it 7-0.

  Cloquet went up 14-0 on their next drive when Kyle Klatt took a hand off from Brenner and scampered 23 yards to a touchdown with 3:18 remaining in the quarter and Niemi added the extra point kick.

  In the second quarter the Jacks rang up 21 more unanswered points the first touchdown of the quarter was an unusual play in which Klatt lost the handle on a ball at the 19-yard line, but it was scooped up by Travis Bartlett who bolted into the end zone for a 21-0 Cloquet lead after the extra point by Niemi.  Cloquet went ahead 28-0 on a score that was set up by a Drew Marciniak interception of a Deion Harris pass that was returned all the way to the 24 yard line of Hibbing.  A few plays later it was Brenner slipping into the end zone on a six-yard touchdown run. 

  Before the first half ended the Jacks put the nail in the coffin when Backus added his second short touchdown run of the game, this time on a two yard plunge that was followed up by a Niemi extra point kick giving Cloquet a 35-0 halftime edge.

  Hunter Roberts topped off an 11 play drive for Cloquet in the fourth quarter with a 14-yard touchdown run and Niemi added the extra point boot for a 42-0 lead.

  The Blue Jackets finally got on the board with :30 seconds remaining in the game on a Harris to Tyler Jerkovich touchdown pass that covered 34 yards for a score making the final 42-6.

  The game was homecoming night for Cloquet and played in nearly ideal conditions at Rol Bromberg Field.

  On defense the Jacks were led by Mario Lozoya and Dylan McIvor who had five tackles apiece.

Hibbing 0-0-0-6—6

Cloquet 14-21-0-7—42

C — Henry Backus 1 run (Nicholas Niemi kick)

C — Kyle Klatt 23 run (Niemi kick)

C — Travis Bartlett 18 fumble recovery (Niemi kick)

C — Maxx Brenner 6 run (Niemi kick)

C — Backus 2 run (Niemi kick)

C — Hunter Roberts 14 run (Niemi kick)

H — Tyler Jerkovich 34 pass from Deion Harris (run failed)

Kerry Rodd can be reached at Kerry@northlandsportsonline.com