High Schools
With star quarterback Roman Voss out with injury, Johnson carries offense in 34-26 win over Kimball Area in state semifinals.
By Cassidy Hettesheimer and
Ron Haggstrom
How do you work around the absence of the injured top-ranked recruit in the 2026 class?
It’s a puzzle Jackson County Central’s football team figured out Friday in the Class 2A state semifinals against Kimball Area.
With star junior quarterback Roman Voss out with a season-ending ankle injury, the Huskies jumped out to a quick start and held on through a second-half back-and-forth to beat Kimball, 34-26, and move on to next week’s Prep Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Huskies will face the winner of Friday’s second Class 2A semifinal between Chatfield and Staples on Nov. 22, at 4 p.m.
Jackson County Central’s (12-0) return to the title game is the program’s first since its championship win in 2001. This postseason marked the Huskies’ third consecutive trip to the state tournament.
Voss, who has drawn scholarship offers from schools like Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa, was injured early in the Huskies’ 34-7 state quarterfinal win over Norwood Young Area last week. The unfortunate exit came nearly a year after a severe concussion sidelined Voss in last season’s state semifinal loss for the Huskies.
Senior wide receiver Grant Freking stepped in at quarterback for Jackson County Central, throwing 7-for-11 for 73 yards. Clinical run-blocking freed up sophomore running back Gage Johnson for three rushing touchdowns on 64 yards.
The Huskies started on the front foot, with Johnson punching in two 2-yard rushing touchdowns, both on fourth-and-goal in the first quarter.
Kimball (11-1) answered with big plays, and a bit of luck, to score 18 consecutive points, which included a well-placed 58-yard passing touchdown from senior quarterback Brandon Henkemeyer to Bryant Knaus. After holding the Huskies to two three-and-outs in the second quarter, the Cubs benefitted from an overturned fumble and nearly-missed interception before Henkemeyer found Ronald Arnold for a 13-yard passing touchdown.
At the start of the second half, Knaus capped the Cubs’ 18-point scoring spree with an 81-yard kickoff return.
Kimball was 0-for-3 on its first three tries at two-point conversion attempts, which allowed Jackson County Central to retake the lead on a 3-yard rushing touchdown from senior running back Clay Malchow in the third quarter.
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Malchow led the Huskies with 118 rushing and 38 receiving yards. Johnson’s third touchdown of the game, a 18-yard run followed by a two-point conversion, helped the Huskies pull ahead, 34-26, with four minutes remaining.
The Cubs were seeking their first title game appearance in their first trip to the state tournament since 1991.
Cassidy Hettesheimer is a high school sports reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune.
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High Schools
Jackson County Central’s (12-0) return to the title game is the program’s first since its championship win in 2001. This postseason marked the Huskies’ third consecutive trip to the state tournament.
High Schools
High Schools
As the semifinals continue, fans can follow live scores of all state semifinal games on MN Football Hub, our online source for Minnesota high school football stats, scores, schedules, stories, rankings and more.
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High Schools
Staples-Motley last appeared in the state championship game for football in 1988, the first year the two small towns paired together in athletics. The team faces Chatfield on Friday in the Class 2A state football semifinals.
High Schools
High Schools
Jackson County Central’s (12-0) return to the title game is the program’s first since its championship win in 2001. This postseason marked the Huskies’ third consecutive trip to the state tournament.
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