ABOVE: Jackson Madsen finds a gap in the Wolverine defense during Granada-Huntley East Chain/Truman’s Homecoming Football game Friday in Granada.

GRANADA – The Granada-Huntley East Chain/Truman Jaguars fell to the Mountain Lake Area Wolverines in a Nine-Man South District, West Subdistrict football game 49-22 Friday night.

The Jaguars were celebrating their Homecoming, but Friday night’s showing didn’t bring the intensity Jaguars head coach Alex Roorda wanted from his team.

“We harped on intensity this week and unfortunately we just kind of came out flat a little bit,” said Roorda. “When we drove down there in the second quarter, we thought we were going to score and it didn’t happen. And looking at that second quarter, you know, couldn’t really get the offense moving in the first half.”

The first quarter opened with an opening-drive touchdown by the Wolverines, followed by a successful 2-point conversion giving them the early lead. The Jaguars gained their first possession on the 30-yard line, but the Wolverine defense held them to a four-and-out to keep them off the scoreboard. Despite the Wolverines converting on a fourth-and-1, the Jaguars held the Wolverines off courtesy of a Jayden Belleport sack.

The Jaguars were unable to get anything done with the following drive. The Jaguars’ defense came up big with a Carter Langford interception, taking possession back from the Wolverines.

Despite stringing together a few good plays, the Jaguars were unable to find the end zone, closing out the first quarter down 15-0.

The start of the second quarter was more of the same, with the Jaguars failing to convert on a fourth-and-short and handing the ball back to the Wolverines. Evan Karschnik opened up the Wolverine drive with a 31-yard carry that set up Maxton Fast for a quarterback keeper and another Wolverines touchdown. The Jaguars’ offense took the field looking to sling the ball around as the defensive line of the Wolverines was extremely effective in shutting down the run. An off-target pass, however, led to a Jake Evers interception which set up back-to-back carries for Ethan Rahn leading to another Wolverines touchdown and 22-0 lead.

Ashton Spear opened up the offensive drive for the Jaguars with an 11-yard carry, but despite gaining traction on the ground, another Wolverines interception put a premature end to the drive. Following the interception, an 11-yard Karschnik carry put in the final touchdown of the half with a score of 29-0 at the end of the half.

Opening the third quarter, it was more of the same for the Jaguars offense, who fumbled the ball that was picked up by Ethan Rahn and returned for a touchdown in the first minute of the third quarter. Down 36-0, the Jaguars tried to compensate for the delayed rush of the Wolverines by getting the ball out fast. Jackson Madsen delivered a clean pass before having to scramble on the next play, resulting in an injury that forced him off the field for a play. Reagan Emmert took the QB spot and the Wolverines didn’t let up as Layne Wall intercepted a pass for a pick-6 and successful PAT that brought the score to 43-0.

Madsen returned to the game and on his first play back broke loose for an 81-yard touchdown carry that opened the scoring for the Jaguars midway through the third quarter. A Spear carry secured the 2-point conversion, making the score 43-8.

The Jaguars struggled to stop the Wolverine run game, setting up another Karschnik rushing touchdown to make the score 49-8.

Madsen immediately responded with a kick return for a touchdown to cut into the Wolverines’ lead bringing the score to 49-14. A Karschnik rush for 35 yards again put the Wolverines in scoring position. The Jaguars’ defense held strong, though, forcing a fourth-and-17 before the final buzzer of the third quarter.

Opening the fourth the Jaguars showed promise, stringing together a few plays for positive yardage and a Lane Kruse 20-yard run that was immediately followed by another run for 12 more yards, pushing the Wolverines’ defense back to their own 27. Despite the solid offensive drive by the Jaguars, the game ended right after Emmerts threw one final touchdown on the night to Elijah Jensen, who also connected for the 2-point conversion.

The Jaguars next match is at Madelia Friday.