Football notes
First meeting for JCC and Kimball, but the coach is familiar
The lowdown
Jackson County Central vs. Kimball Area in the state Class 2A football tournament
Date/time: Friday, Nov, 15, 9 a.m.
Site: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
Series: First meeting
While Friday’s state Class 2A football tournament semifinal game between Jackson County Central and Kimball Area is the first meeting ever between the schools, there is some familiarity within the programs.
Kimball coach Clay Anderson was the head coach at Pipestone from 2015-2019 so he and JCC coach Tom Schuller have game planned against one another before. Schuller said after the Huskies’ quarterfinal win last week that Anderson’s Cubs run a lot of the same things he ran while with the Arrows.
Anderson had a record of 44-16 (.733) in his time at Pipestone and is 169-110 (.605) overall. He was head coach at Le Center (1997-1999), Norwood Young America (2000-2004), Albert Lea (2005- 2010), and Benton Community, IA (2011-2013).
Anderson has been named state Class 2A Coach of the Year twice, in 2017 at Pipestone and 2002 at NYA.
Schuller has a record of 222-54 (.804), all at JCC. He was Class 3A Coach of the Year in 2001 when the Huskies won their only state title.
Here are the scores of the JCC-Pipestone games with Schuller and Anderson as head coach:
2015: Pipestone 15, Jackson County Central 14
2016: Jackson County Central 19, Pipestone 18
2017: Pipestone 35, Jackson County Central 18
2018: Jackson County Central 14, Pipestone 13
2019: Jackson County Central 36, Pipestone 6
In 2015, both teams made it to Prep Bowl at what was then called TCF Bank Stadium.
Pipestone lost to Caledonia 40-0 in Class 2A and JCC lost 36-8 to Pierz in Class 3A.
The Arrows made it to Prep Bowl again in 2017, that time losing to Caledonia 57-6.
Schedule/results
JACKSON COUNTY CENTRAL (11-0)
Regular season
Friday, Aug. 30: at Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial, W 44-0
Friday, Sept. 6: Worthington, W 62-7
Friday, Sept. 13: at Blue Earth Area, W 63-0
Friday, Sept. 20: Le Sueur-Henderson (homecoming), W 61-14
Friday, Sept. 27: at Redwood Valley, W 46-7
Friday, Oct. 4: Minnesota Valley Lutheran, W 64-8
Thursday, Oct. 10: at Luverne, W 38-0
Wednesday, Oct. 16: Pipestone, W 45-6
Section 3AA
Saturday, Oct. 26: Le Sueur-Henderson, W 36-14
Friday, Nov. 1: Pipestone at Worthington, W 48-7
State Class 2A tournament
Friday, Nov. 8: Norwood Young America at Orono, W 34-7
KIMBALL AREA (11-0)
Regular season
Thursday, Aug. 29: at Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, W 48-6
Friday, Sept. 6: Osakis, W 42-8
Friday, Sept. 13: at Payneville, W 36-6
Friday, Sept. 20: Royalton, W 56-6
Friday, Sept. 27: at Maple Lake, W 56-8
Friday, Oct. 4: at Holdingford, W 34-8
Friday, Oct. 11: Eden Valley-Watkins, W 28-20
Wednesday, Oct. 16: St. Cloud Cathedral, W 42-7
Section 3AA
Saturday, Oct. 26: Royalton, W 37=0
Friday, Nov. 1: Holdingford at Collegeville, W 26-20
State Class 2A
Friday, Nov. 8: Moose Lake/Willow River at Brainerd, W 38-0
Semifinalists again
JCC will play a semifinal game in a state tournament for the ninth time in school history when it plays Kimball Friday. The Huskies are 4-4 in their semifinal appearances to date.
The scores:
1997: Jackson County Central 35, St. Michael-Albertville 15
1998: Jackson County Central 23, Delano 7
2001: Jackson County Central 33, Lake City 0
2012: Moose Lake/Willow River 27, Jackson County Central 20
2015: Jackson County Central 30, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 14
2019: Pierz 20, Jackson County Central 14
2022: Barnesville 41, Jackson County Central 12
2023: Barnesville 38, Jackson County Central 23
2024: Jackson County Central vs. Kimball, Friday
11 wins
This is the fifth time in school history JCC has won at least 11 games in a season. The list:
13: 1997, 2001
12: 1998
11: 2019, 2024
Scoring averages
Here are the scoring averages of the four teams remaining in the Class 2A field:
Jackson County Central 49.2-6.4
Kimball Area 40.3-8.1
Staples-Motley 37.9-13.4
Chatfield 38.3-12.8
Mr. Football
Kimball offensive and defensive lineman Hank Meyer (6-2, 210) is among the 10 finalists for the Mr. Football Award presented by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association. The award recognizes the coaches choice for the top senior football player in the state.
The winner will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 15.
The 10 nominees:
Nolan Ginskey, Owatonna, WR-DB
Camden Hungerholt, LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli, QB
Kevon Johnson, Armstrong, RB
Landen Kujawa, Becker, RB-LB
Hank Meyer, Kimball Area, OT-DT
Sam Shaughnessy, Blaine, QB
Chase Thompson, Alexandria, QB
Grant Tylutki, Rocori, WR
Jacob Wrbanek, Maple Grove, LB
Three in a row
Jackson County Central is one of only seven schools playing in the semifinals of the state football tournament for the third straight year.
Here’s the list by class.
9 player: Fertile-Beltrami
Class 1A: Minneota, Springfield
Class 2A: Jackson County Central
Class 3A: Stewartville
Class 4A: None
Class 5A: None
Class 6A: Maple Grove, Shakopee
Officially speaking
I don’t have accurate records (TBH, any records) on this subject, so I’m open for input on the matter, but I believe that last week’s quarterfinal game was the first time a female official has worked a JCC football game.
If someone remembers it happening, let me know.
Stephanie LaHaye of New Hope was the Back Judge for the Huskies game vs. Norwood Young America at Orono High School.
We mentioned in an earlier newsletter that two Lakefield residents will be officiating in the state tournament.
Alex Hein and Eric Kruger are on a crew that was scheduled to work the 9 a.m. Class 2A semifinal on Friday, but with Jackson County Central involved, they were reassigned to the other 2A semifinal at 4:30 p.m. matching Chatfield against Staples-Motley.
Hein is the head boys basketball coach at JCC and Kruger has been on the coaching staff in the past.
They are on a crew with Scott Monson (Minneota superintendent and Eric’s brother-in-law) along with Rob and Bryce Jergenson of Morris.
South of the border
Just across the state line, Spirit Lake is still playing football.
The Indians are 10-1 and will play in Iowa’s Class 2A semifinals at 10 a.m. Saturday at the UNI-Dome vs. PCM (11-0).
After a season-opening 42-40 loss to Algona, who reached the Class 3A state quarterfinals, Spirit Lake has won 10 straight.
Three of those wins have come at home in the postseason. After getting past Cherokee 31-27, the Indians have rolled past Osage 42-14 and North Fayette Valley 42-13.
Caden Lundt has passed for 2,173 yards and 34 touchdowns for Spirit Lake this season. His favorite target is Dylan Stecker, who has 47 receptions for 887 yards and 15 touchdowns.
On defense, Iowa State commit Ethan Stecker has 21 tackles for a loss and six sacks.
Spirit Lake has won two state championships, in 2012 and 2015, both in Class 2A.
There’s another northwest Iowa team in the second 2A semifinal as West Lyon (11-0) faces Van Meter (10-1).
West Lyon won the state Class 1A title in 2010, Class A in 2013 and Class 1A again in 2019.
Yes, you read that right. There is a Class 1A and a Class A.
Van Meter won the state Class 1A title in 2021 and then hasn’t missed a beat since moving up, winning Class 2A state titles in 2022 and 2023.