Nov. 1 -- WEST FARGO -- Friday didn't quite turn out the way the members of the Jamestown High School football team were hoping.
West Fargo Horace ended Jamestown's season on Friday, defeating the Blue Jays 14-0 in the opening round of the Class AA playoffs.
This season marks the first time since 2020 that the Jays have not made it to the second round of playoffs.
That tends to be what happens when you can't score points.
In the first 24 minutes, the Jays couldn't string together much of an offense and as a result they came up with two major plays and zero points.
It was not for a lack of effort.
In the opening quarter Ryan Kallenbach let fly a big time throw to Max Rittenbach to put the Blue Jays at the Hawks' 5 yard line to bring up first and goal.
The Jays got as close as the 1 yard line but a series of penalties and stops from Horace's defense brought up fourth and goal.
With plenty of time to go and the ball at the 20, head coach Bill Nelson decided to try the field goal.
That play call was not met with success. The kick missed wide left.
Kallenbach ended the first half at 4-for-8 passing. Jackson Jarrett hauled in two of Kallenbach's passes while the signal caller targeted Cephy Sayler and Rittenbach on the other two. The Jays had 56 total yards of offense in the first half.
On the other side of the ball, Horace managed 157 yards of offense through two quarters of play. The team's one scoring drive was capped off with a 68 yard throw from Taylor Stefonowicz to Aiden Green with 6:26 left in the second.
Scoring play No. 2 was comprised of four plays.
Dillon Otterson broke a tackle to clinch his third rushing touchdown of the year and put his team up 13-0. Jacob Birnbaum finished off the scoring drive with his second PAT of the night.
Picks, fumbles and in-completions combined with a winding clock, did the Jays no favors in what was left of the second half.
The Jays put 179 yards of total offense on the books. Kallenbach was 13 of 30. The senior connected with Jarrett on four passes and Rittenbach on three.
Kelan Harstad was the Jays' driving force on the ground, running for 55 yards on 13 carries.
While it was a loss, the Jays can take comfort in the fact that their defense held Horace to well below its rushing average.
Only 152 of the Hawks' 293 yards came on the ground. Ty Geray ran the ball for 110 yards on 22 attempts. Dillon Otterson contributed another 61 yards on his 10 carries.
Taylor Stefonowicz was a steadying force for the Hawks' offense completing 9 of his 14 passes for 141 yards, a touchdown and one interception. The senior quarterback connected with Green three times to accumulate 76 yards receiving.
Horace will face top-seeded Minot North next week. The game is scheduled to be held at Sentinel Stadium.
WFH: 68 yard pass by Taylor Stefonowicz to Aiden Green (Jacob Birnbaum kick good), 6:26