Elks Spoil Bluejacket Football's Home Opener

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Elks spoil Bluejacket Football’s home opener

The fancy new scoreboard at George Larson Field got a workout when visiting Elk River held off Cambridge-Isanti 44-36 Sept. 9, ending a long loss-streak to the Bluejackets. The Elks, rebuilding after a tough 2010 season, are now 2-0 in the Mississippi 8, while C-I began 0-1 (0-2 all).

Elk River jumped out to a 22-0 lead. No. 21 Saygbe scored on a 4-yard run after the Elks’ QB tore off on a 59-yard counter on the first play from scrimmage. The Elks stopped the Jackets on a fourth-down play near midfield then finished off the short scoring drive on a 2-yard run from Chambers. Just into the second quarter on a 3rd-and-19, the Jackets attempted a lateral pass in the flats which fell incomplete, with the Elks recovering the rolling football in the end zone.

The Jackets finished off a 79-yard scoring drive with a 5-yard TD run by Cole Bakke, cutting the deficit to 22-7 which stood through halftime. C-I received the kickoff to begin the third quarter and quickly scored on a 62-yard pass from Clayton Jennissen to Jordan Locken. That began a stack of alternating scores between the teams.

ER’s Hanson returned an interception 68 yards. Ryan Epsen hauled in a 35-yard TD pass for the Jackets. Saygbe broke off a 32-yard TD run, then Chance Laidly scored for C-I on a 2-yard run. What turned into the clincher was Saygbe tearing off another scoring sprint of 40 yards. The Jackets closed the gap one more time on a 23-yard TD reception by Travis Holt.