Jefferson states its case for a top ten ranking

Kids look at rankings. They look at our individual rankings, and they look at the media team polls. If you don't believe me, you weren't at Bloomington Jefferson on Friday night. The Jaguars and the Robbinsdale Cooper Hawks came into the game with identical 4-1 records. Still, only the Hawks were regulars in the primary high school football rankings by media members. After the Jaguars defeated the Hawks 34-20 – a game, the Jaguars controlled most of the way – players and fans alike mentioned the lack of respect by pollsters.   The Jaguars' offense came out of the gates flying. After opening the game with a long kickoff return inside Cooper's 20-yard line, quarterback Tyson Schulz found his big wide receiver/tight end Daniel King on two throws, the second getting the offense inside the two-yard line. Running back Jonathan Weber picked up the final two yards to give his team a quick 7-0 lead.   After forcing a punt, the Jaguars' offense went back to work. Weber and Schulz methodically moved the ball up the field, and Tevin Ekse provided a chunk play, picking up thirty yards on an end-a-round. With just seconds to play in the first quarter, Jefferson lined up to go for it on fourth and three in the red zone. With just a second on the clock, Cooper jumped off-sides, giving the Jags a free first down. Weber would score one play later to move the lead to 14-0.   Cooper's mistake on special teams and a three-and-out gave Jefferson the ball on the Hawks's side of the field. Weber continued to pick up chunks of yardage but stalled out in the red zone. Dylan Goedderz came on to kick a 30-yard field goal.   Down 17 points, Cooper got a big return of its own and finally, with some good field position, got into the end zone. Set up by a catch by Cooper's [player_tooltip player_id='1256220' first='Semaj' last='Young'] – in which he made a great adjustment – down to the one-yard line, the Hawks cut the lead to 17-7. On Jefferson's next possession, King would make his own spectacular diving catch down the seam to set up another Goedderz field goal – this time from 22 yards out. Jefferson – scoring on all four of their first-half possessions, went into the locker room up 20-7.   After forcing a punt, Jefferson put together a fifth straight scoring drive. Weber continued to eat up yards on the ground, and Schultz used some physical quarterback sneaks to move the chains. Schultz would use his arm and find his favorite target on the day – King, whose run after catch set up first and goal. Ethan Kleis would finish the drive and the Jaguars' fifth straight scoring drive.   "We dominated at the line of scrimmage," Weber said. "Our o-line ate all game – opening up big holes for me, and I just cut off it. The o-line, that is why we won."   Down 27-7, Cooper would score back-to-back touchdowns – helped out by a fumbled kickoff - to get right back into the game. After cutting the lead to 27-20, the Hawks would force a three-and-out to end the third quarter.   Despite being back on their heels for the better part of a quarter, the Jaguars' defense rallied and forced their own three and out. The Jefferson offense got back on track, too. Schultz threw a dart to a receiver on third and long. Later, under an intense pass rush, Schultz quickly got the ball out of his hands and into his receiver's hands to convert another third down.   The Hawks were about to get off the field with seven minutes to play down just one score, but on fourth and three, Schultz found King one more time. King caught the ball at the sticks, broke multiple tackles, and stayed in bounds to not only pick up the first down but get into the end zone to get back to a two-score lead.   Cooper would threaten, but a Jefferson interception near the goal line would allow the offense to run out the clock and preserve the victory.   "We fought so hard," Weber said. "Nobody thought we could win this game, but we came out – our captains led us – and we dominated. We scored 34 points, and Cooper hadn't given up more than twenty points all year."

Kids look at rankings. They look at our individual rankings, and they look at the media team polls. If you don't believe me, you weren't at Bloomington Jefferson on Friday night. The Jaguars and the Robbinsdale Cooper Hawks came into the game with identical 4-1 records. Still, only the Hawks were regulars in the primary high school football rankings by media members. After the Jaguars defeated the Hawks 34-20 – a game, the Jaguars controlled most of the way – players and fans alike mentioned the lack of respect by pollsters.