The Roland-Story Norsemen football team opened up Class 2A Playoff action on Friday night, as they hosted the Indians of Clarke, Osecola at Kerry Van Winkle Field in Story City. The Norsemen entered at 6-2 and 4-1 in district play, while Clarke entered at 4-4 and 3-2 out of District 7.
Turnovers marred the opening minutes of the game for the Indians, throwing an endzone interception on their first drive, and muffing a punt following their first defensive series. Right after the muff, Norsemen quarterback Sam Knoll took to the air and found Trevor Britten for a diving 26-yard touchdown reception to put Roland-Story up 7-0. Clarke’s ensuing offensive drive ended with the Indians getting stuffed on a QB sneak on 4th and 1 at their own 30. Shortly thereafter, Roland-Story was back into the endzone on a 16-yard touchdown run by Jonovan Wilkinson to make it 14-0. Roland-Story would go back to the air midway through the 2nd quarter, as Sam Knoll hit Jonovan Wilkinson on the quick slant to beat the blitz, and Wilkinson took the pass 85 yards for a touchdown to put Roland-Story up 21-0 going to the halftime break.
The 3rd quarter would see action slow with each defense getting stop after stop. Finally, Roland-Story broke the quagmire with a 29-yard touchdown run by Sam Knoll to put the Norsemen up 28-0. Roland-Story added more scores in the 4th, with Knoll firing his 3rd touchdown pass of the night to Riley Larson to put the Norsemen up 35-0, before Clarke got on the board with a touchdown pass from Jack Cooley to Brock Watson to make the score 35-7. Backup running back Jake Berggren punctuated the Norsemen’s first playoff win since 2008 with a 14-yard touchdown run to finalize Roland-Story’s 42-7 win.
The Player of the Game, sponsored by Jewell Market, was Norsemen quarterback Sam Knoll, who threw for 139 yards and 3 touchdowns, while rushing for 58 yards and a touchdown. Jonovan Wilkinson added 120 yards of total offense, 2 touchdowns and an interception, while Charlie Watts was Roland-Story’s leading tackler with 11 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and a sack.
Roland-Story advances to the round of 16 for the first time since 2016, as they travel to Rock Rapids to take on #1 Central Lyon/George-Little Rock on Friday night at 7 PM.