About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oct. 30—KINDRED, N.D. — The Kindred football team took a big sigh of relief after the meeting with Jamestown on Friday night.
The Vikings outlasted Jamestown 28-21 in the first round of the Division AA playoffs. Kindred, 10-0, will host Dickinson in the state semifinals on Nov. 6. Kickoff times are still to be determined. Jamestown's season ended at 3-7. Friday was the first time the Jays had played in a playoff game since 2024.
The loss was not for a lack of effort on the Blue Jays part.
"They never ever quit working, we were in it right up until the end," Jamestown head coach Bill Nelson said. "I am tremendously proud of this team, the players, the coaches. We just battled with the best team in 11AA."
Late in the first quarter the Blue Jays strung together a drive that ended with a four yard touchdown pass from Brady Nenow to Kale Verke. Chase Traut put the ball through the uprights to make it 7-0 Jays with 2:18 left in the first quarter.
After Kindred's Myles Thielges scored his eighth touchdown of the year to tie the game at 7-7, Nenow and the Blue Jay offense got busy. The Jays strung together a drive that ended with a 20 yard pass from the senior quarterback to Braden Hemminger. Traut's PAT made it 14-7 heading into halftime.
Coming out of the break, Jamestown muffed a punt and Kindred took advantage. Luke Starcevic hauled in a 20 yard touchdown reception to tie the ball game at 14 points.
A couple of plays later, Graham Hesse made a pick six to give the top-seeded Vikings their first lead of the game.
Kindred's lead increased a couple of plays later.
With 9:40 to go in regulation, quarterback Jackson Schlieman completed a six yard touchdown pass to Myles Thielges to put the Vikings up by two scores for the first time in the game.
The Jays converted on 4th and 1 with a pass to Edison Walters, then on 1st and 10, Aiden Skari scrambled for 21 yards to bring up another first down at Kindred's 41 yard line.
Skari then assumed quarterback responsibilities to heave a 41 yard pass to Verke. Verke strode into the end zone to make it 28-20 Kindred. Traut made his third and final PAT to make it a one score game.
Jamestown stuffed the Vikings on the first two downs, bringing up third down. An illegal shift made it 3rd and 6. Schlieman threw an incomplete pass to give the Jays the ball back.
The Blue Jay offense took over at the 19 yard line with two minutes on the clock.
Nenow let loose and completed a pass to Verke for 14 yards and a first down and while the Jays kept converting and got deep into Kindred territory, the Vikings made one last interception that ended the Jays chances at another game.
Nenow ended his last game as a Blue Jay with 222 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The senior was 29-for-41 unofficially. Verke was the top receiver with 11 receptions for 102 yards and two scores. Braden Hemminger had five catches and a touchdown while Tucker Allen was credited with four catches for 47 yards. Riley Shuey earned 47 yards on three catches.
Aiden Skari rushed for 53 yards while Hemminger ran for 21 yards. In total, the Blue Jay offense put up 335 yards unofficially.
"At the end of the day, this group, the seniors — are really going to be really successful young men in life," Nelson said. "They just keep working, they don't quit. We continually got better every day. I can't say enough good things about them."
JHS: 4 yard pass by Nenow to Kale Verke (Chase Traut kick good), 2:18
KIN: 5 yard run by Myles Thielges (Graham Hesse kick good), 11:17
JHS: 20 yard pass by Nenow to Braden Hemminger (kick good), 0:29
KIN: 20 yard pass by Jackson Schlieman to Luke Starcevic (kick good)
KIN: 40 yard interception by Graham Hesse (kick good)
KIN: 6 yard pass by Myles Thielges to Brock Johnson (kick good), 9:40
JHS: 41 yard pass by Aiden Skari to Kale Verke (kick good), 6:56
Source: Sports
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