The latest trend in modern sports is the use of numbers to explain outcomes, or least help explain them. The algorithms that are used can be quite beneficial, just look how much good they did for the Cleveland Browns. Seriously speaking though, they would have found a way to derail the careers of basically every great pro player. Not even the best statistical analysis could correct their issues.
Within the game of Football at large there are two stats that can be quite predictive in determining an outcome. The first is turnover margin and the second is penalties. Simply put, if a team has more turnovers than their opponent and/or has more infractions of the rules, that team's odds of winning are dramatically decreased. I'm not breaking any news here, just laying the ground work so bare with me.
On occasion and rare occasion at that, sometimes a team is able to make enough plays to offset their own mistakes and win a game that they otherwise should have no chance in. I think that tonight on the riverside field at Oak Grove, such an event took place.
The visiting Northern Cass Jaguars' time on the field in the first half was unimpressive to say the least and embarrassing to put it bluntly. In one possession they has three false start penalties called against them, and the officials didn't have to look to closely to see the early movements.
But the Grovers didn't exactly light the field on the first in the half either. It's a bit of a contradiction but they played well enough to keep it zero - zero. Which is to say that they did not play well enough to take advantage of the mistakes that the Jags kept making but did perform well enough to keep the visitors from scoring.
That was just for the first 24 minutes though. The second 24 went more smoothly and featured nice touchdowns by each team. Northern Cass got the ball first to reopen play and used a considerable portion of the third quarter to put points on the board. On a fourth and 18 from the Grovers 25 quarterback Wrigley Elston looped a pass into the hands of big #81 Connor Jensen, just shy of the score line and Jensen did the rest to put points on the board. Without hesitating the Jaguars coaches then signaled in a two point conversion that #12 Kolby Vander Wal ran in untouched until it couldn't make a difference.
To their credit Oak Grove took the hit and was able to counterpunch. After a sustained drive of their own, Grover quarterback Kaleb Card put the ball into the hands of one of his play makers, #21 who did the rest! From there the difference on the scoreboard came as a result of Vander Wal again, with a solo tackle to deny the keeper on a two point conversion.
But even with the retention of the lead, the pressure still came back to the Jaguars to at least hold their lead but more than that, extend it. They met that pressure head on and not only scored another touchdown but tacked on an additional two points to make it a ten point game with time winding down.
The Grovers looked to respond in kind and even benefitted from a horse-collar tackle on a would have been failed 4th down play. Even a penalty such that didn't keep them from forcing the turnover and sealing the victory.
Player of the Game
It was a genuine team victory for the Jaguars with no one player standing heads & tails above the rest for the victors. There was however a picture of the game that was indicative of the outcome.
Picture of the Game
Click the photo to see the rest of the night's best images!