Esko Hammers Eveleth-Gilbert

Kerry Rodd-NSO

  Playing just their second game on their new home field the Esko football team trounced the visiting Eveleth-Golden Bears 52-28 behind a three touchdown performance by Jaxson Turner.

  Turner ran for a pair of scores and also raced back an interception 80 yards for another touchdown in helping lead the Eskomos to the victory.

  Esko sent notice early of their intent to score often when John Carr slashed his way into the end zone on a 29-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter.  Carr added the two-point conversion for an 8-0 Eskomo lead.  Later in the quarter it was an Earl Brinkley one-yard touchdown run for a score making it 16-0 after the two-point conversion pass from Marc Peterson to Charlie Johnson.

  Before the first quarter ended the Golden Bears got a score of their own when Sam Roberts found Austin Erickson in the end zone on a four-yard touchdown pass making it 16-7 after the extra point kick by Stephen Day.

  That is when the Turner Show began!  Turner cut into the end zone on a six-yard touchdown run making it 24-0 after the Brinkley conversion run.  The Eskomos tacked on year another touchdown prior to halftime when Turner snared a Roberts pass on an interception and raced 80-yards for a pick six giving the Eskomos a 31-7 halftime lead after the Carr extra point kick.

  E-G cut the Esko lead to 31-13 early in the second half when Roberts bulled into the end zone from the one-yard line, but the Eskomos answered that with third quarter scores from Turner on a 59-yard dash to the end zone and a David Belden five yard run for a score.  Nick Emanuel caught a Peterson pass for a two-point conversion the Turner score and the Eskomos held a comfortable 45-13 score at the end of the third quarter.

  Roberts fought back for the Golden Bears early in the fourth quarter with a three yard run for a score and Day booted the extra poin kick through to cut the Esko edge to 45-20.  However, Esko answered once again when Belden streaked 84 yards for a touchdown and Carr added the kick for a 52-20 Eskomo lead.  The final score of the game came when Erickson caught a five-yard pass from Roberts for the Golden Bears and Luke Ruzinka added a two-point conversion run making the final 52-28.

  The win improved Esko’s record to 4-3 overall and 4-1 in the Great Polar White Conference, while the Golden Bears drop their overall record to 1-6 and 0-5 in conference play.