JAMESTOWN – After a recovery from a rough offensive first half by Jamestown Blue Jays Football, Dickinson then recovered for a fourth-quarter comeback.
Caden Tschetter and Nate Stevenson rushed for final-quarter touchdowns Friday as Dickinson rallied for a 35-24 win over Jamestown on the Blue Jays’ homecoming at Rollie Greeno Field at Charlotte and Gordon Hansen Stadium.
Tschetter solely provided Dickinson (2-4, 1-1 11AA West) with yardage on the Mavericks’ go-ahead drive of 59 yards in only three plays. Just after Jamestown didn’t convert a fourth down at the Dickinson 41 with 8:45 remaining, Tschetter broke a 54-yard run to the Jamestown five. After Tschetter had a four-yard run, he scored from one yard away to give Dickinson a 28-24 lead on the fourth lead change of the game with 7:28 to go.
Jamestown quarterback Karson Schmidt was intercepted by Stevenson just under two minutes later, with Stevenson returning to the Jamestown 35. Just one play later, Stevenson rushed for a 33-yard score and Dickinson led 35-24 with 4:47 to play.
On the second play of the last series for Jamestown (1-5, 0-2), Schmidt threw his second interception of the game, this to Dylan Glasser, and Dickinson ran out the last 4:07.
The game was scoreless until fullback Isaac Lowery scored for Dickinson with 12 seconds left in the first quarter. After a Jaxon Braun extra point, the Mavericks had a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Aiden Skari gave Jamestown a lift with a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown. A missed extra point left the lead with Dickinson after one quarter at 7-6.
Dickinson lost a fumble with their next drive, but the Blue Jays couldn’t move the ball and failed on fourth down. But the Mavericks again fumbled the ball away to give Jamestown the ball at the Dickinson 18. Again, Jamestown faced fourth down, but succeeded this time with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Schmidt to Jaeger Roemmich. A missed two-point conversion had the Blue Jays ahead 12-7 with 7:15 left in the first half.
In the last five minutes of the first half, Dickinson scored twice. With 5:02 left, Stevenson hit Dylan Glasser with a 54-yard touchdown strike. After a penalty and a bad punt snap placed Dickinson on the Jamestown 30, the Mavericks scored in four plays, culminating on Lowery’s second touchdown run from seven yards with 50 seconds remaining. Dickinson led 21-12 at halftime.
Each team turned the ball over on their first possessions of the second half. Jamestown lost a fumble, then Skari intercepted a Stevenson pass. Following that was Jamestown’s best drive of the game, encompassing 11 plays and 82 yards and ending with Will Bennett’s first varsity touchdown, a 14-yard run. But a conversion again failed with a blocked extra point and Dickinson led just 21-18 with 4:22 left in the third period.
Dickinson missed on fourth down on their next time with the football, and Jamestown struck on their next drive. One play after a 32-yard pass from Schmidt to Cephy Sayler, Liam Frey scored from 16 yards away with one second left in the third quarter. Still again, Jamestown couldn’t make a conversion and led 24-21 after three quarters.
The loss is Jamestown’s fifth straight defeat, marking their longest losing streak since a six-game skid to end the 2019 season.
The Blue Jays will host Watford City on Friday, October 10 at Hansen Stadium. Coverage will begin at 6:30 on The Voice of the Blue Jays, Jamestown 107.1. Live and archived video will be available on the Jamestown 107.1 Sports YouTube Channel.