After six dominant wins to start the season, the Jackson County Central football team figures to have a pair of competitive games to close out the regular season and then have 10 days to prepare for a playoff run that the Huskies plan to end with two games at U.S. Bank Stadium.
First up is a game against fellow unbeaten Luverne at 7 p.m. Thursday at Cardinal Field in Luverne.
The Cardinals are also 6-0 after a 6-0 overtime win at Pipestone in a matchup of teams that were both 5-0 heading into that game.
JCC had a ton of talent returning from last year’s team that was undefeated until a loss to Barnesville in the state Class 2A semifinals and got a boost in the addition of junior cornerback-quarterback Evan Bartholomaus.
Bartholomaus saw some playing time as a freshman at Red Rock Central and played a little more for the Falcons as a sophomore.
This season he has joined a talented JCC squad.
“It was scary coming in,” Bartholomaus said. “I didn’t know how much I would play with the level of guys around us. But I knew that if I competed for a spot, I would have a chance to get some good playing time and I have.”
He’s played a lot on defense and has also had a chance to play quarterback.
Evan completed a pass to Roman Voss at Blue Earth in Week 3 and the two teamed up again on a 52-yard scoring play last week vs. Minnesota Valley Lutheran.
“I was making a joke that against Blue Earth I made an awful throw to Roman but he still caught it,” Bartholomaus said. “This one was better. It was right on him.”
JCC’s defense has been stingy, allowing only 6.0 points per game.
“Everybody in the box (linemen and linebackers) is solid and our secondary is very solid,” Evan said. “Everybody tackles well anywhere. They’re all great tacklers.”
Bartholomaus is looking for the Huskies to get a little better yet as the section playoffs approach.
“Down the stretch hopefully we can get some more depth because we have a lot of guys banged up,” he said. “If we do, we have a good shot.”
With only six of the eight teams in Section 3AA making the playoffs the top two seeds get first-round byes and the Huskies should have that wrapped up.
As mentioned, Jackson County Central has its 6-0 record and Pipestone is 5-1.
Redwood Valley and Windom are both currently 4-2. The Huskies have defeated the Cardinals and do not play the Eagles, who are playing predominantly Class 1A teams for the second straight season.
Luverne is in eight-team Section 3AAA, which will use the QRF calculated figures by Minnesota-scores.net to seed its teams.
The Cardinals trail a pair of 5-1 teams (Waseca and Fairmont) in those QRF ratings. Waseca hosts Fairmont in the final week of the regular season.
The lowdown
Date/time: Thursday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m.
Site: Cardinal Field, Luverne
Series: JCC leads 23-8 (scores listed at end)
Series streak: JCC has won 3 straight
Longest JCC streak: 8 (1997-2004)
Longest Luverne streak: 3 (2007-2008)
Schedule/results
JACKSON COUNTY CENTRAL (6-0)
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, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 16: Pipestone, 7 p.m.
LUVERNE (6-0)
Thursday, Aug. 29: at Worthington, W 25-6
Friday, Sept. 6: Jordan, W 20-14
Friday, Sept. 13: at Sibley East, W 56-0
Friday, Sept. 20: Minnesota Valley Lutheran, W 35-0
Friday, Sept. 27: Blue Earth Area, W 48-14
Friday, Oct. 4: at Pipestone, W 6-0 (OT)
Thursday, Oct. 10: Jackson County Central, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 16: at Redwood Valley, 4 p.m.
South (Central-Silver) District
Standings
Jackson County Central 2-0
Luverne 2-0
Pipestone 2-1
Redwood Valley 0-2
Minnesota Valley Lutheran 0-3
Thursday, Oct. 10
Jackson County Central at Luverne
Friday, Oct. 11
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial at Pipestone
Redwood Valley at Minnesota Valley Lutheran
District games only
Section 3AA
Jackson County Central will compete in Section 3AA in postseason play.
Here’s who the teams in the section play this week. Won-loss records are in parentheses.
Jackson County Central (6-0): at Luverne (6-0)
Pipestone (5-1): vs. Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial (3-3)
Redwood Valley (4-2): at Minnesota Valley Lutheran (2-4)
Windom (4-2): vs. Sleepy Eye United (4-2)
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial (3-3): at Pipestone (5-1)
Minnesota Valley Lutheran (2-4): vs. Redwood Valley (4-2)
Le Sueur-Henderson (2-4): vs. Blue Earth Area (0-6)
Sibley East (0-6): vs. Maple River (2-4)
Top 10 list
JCC isn’t the only ranked Class 2A team facing a team that is also 6-0 this week.
The defending state champion in the class, No. 3 Eden Valley-Watkins hosts No. 9 Kimball Area on Friday.
Here’s this week’s schedule for the top 10 teams in the media state Class 2A football rankings.
1. Barnesville (6-0): at Crookston (0-6) Fri.
2. Chatfield (6-0): at Class 3A Lake City (3-3) Fri.
3. Eden Valley-Watkins (6-0): at No. 9 Kimball Area (6-0) Fri.
4. Jackson County Central (6-0): at Class 3A Luverne (6-0) Thurs.
5. Caledonia (5-1): at Triton (4-2) Fri.
6. Norwood Young America (6-0): at Class 1A Mayer Lutheran (1-5) Thurs.
7. Barnum (6-0): at Class 1A Ely (1-5) Fri.
8. Cannon Falls (5-1): vs. Dover-Eyota (2-4) Fri.
9. Kimball Area (6-0): vs. No. 3 Eden Valley-Watkins (6-0) Fri.
10. Holdingford (5-1): at Aitkin (3-3) Thurs.
QRF
The top 10 teams in this week’s QRF as compiled by Minnesota-scores.net.
Listed are rank, team, record in parenthesis and QRF.
1. Barnesville (6-0) 67.5
2. Norwood Young America (6-0) 63.8
3. Chatfield (6-0) 62.1
4. Kimball Area (6-0) 59.9
5. Eden Valley-Watkins (5-0) 58.6
6. Jackson County Central (6-0) 58.1
7. Barnum (6-0) 57.5
8. Caledonia (5-1) 56.4
9. Cannon Falls (5-1) 55.1
10. Staples-Motley (6-0) 53.7
The series
Jackson County Central leads 23-8
1997: Jackson County Central 6, Luverne 0
1998: Jackson County Central 20, Luverne 14
1999: Jackson County Central 18, Luverne 6
2000: Jackson County Central 27, Luverne 0
2001: Jackson County Central 21, Luverne 13
2002: Jackson County Central 28, Luverne 6
2003: Jackson County Central 30, Luverne 14
2004: Jackson County Central 35, Luverne 10
2005: Luverne 28, Jackson County Central 16
2006: Jackson County Central 48, Luverne 28
2007: Luverne 39, Jackson County Central 13; Luverne 27, Jackson County Central 6 (Section 3AA championship)
2008: Luverne 27, Jackson County Central 11
2009: Jackson County Central 20, Luverne 7; Luverne 21, Jackson County Central 17 (Section 3AA championship)
2010: Luverne 10, Jackson County Central 9; Luverne 35, Jackson County Central 23 (Section 3AA championship)
2011: Jackson County Central 35, Luverne 0; Luverne 12, Jackson County Central 0 (Section 3AA semifinals)
2012: Luverne 28, Jackson County Central 14; Jackson County Central 35, Luverne 28 (Section 3AA championship)
2013: Jackson County Central 39, Luverne 13
2014: Luverne 13, Jackson County Central 0; Jackson County Central 23, Luverne 16 (Section 3AA semifinals)
2015: Jackson County Central 57, Luverne 7
2016: Jackson County Central 28, Luverne 21
2017: Jackson County Central 34, Luverne 8
2018: Jackson County Central 33, Luverne 0
2019: Jackson County Central 35, Luverne 0
2020: Luverne 32, Jackson County Central 0
2021: Jackson County Central 36, Luverne 16
2022: Jackson County Central 24, Luverne 0
2023: Jackson County Central 34, Luverne 0