Barnesville is good, very good, they are also very fast. They have sound athletes who have the necessary combination of size, strength and speed. They are well coached and fundamentally sound. It is a formidable recipe that lends itself to success and even when cheering for the Knights it was easy to sit back and watch a top five team operate. If a reader ever gets a chance to visit Barnesville on a Friday night and a football game is happening, it is worth the stop. It is a fun atmosphere and you may even hear John Denver cranking out across the sound system, the crowd obviously knows the song as they sang “Thank God I'm a Country Boy” loud and proud. 

Back to football...Scoring opened up one third of the way through the opening quarter at 9:23 as Barnesville Sr (RB) Kellen Hinsz dashed in from 17 yards out. The PAT pass was good as Sr (QB/TE) Preston Snobl hit Jr (RB) Hunter Anderson for the two point conversion. Three minutes later Barnesville Sr (RB) Nick Detloff broke loose and rumbled his way 79 to the end zone. Sr (QB) Sam Askegaard threw to Sr (RB) Chase Brenner for the PAT. The game remained at 16-0 until at 2:51 in the 2nd stanza. Askegaard completed a 24 yard touchdown pass to Snobl. Akegaard ran in the PAT. Score at the end of the half, 24-0. 

The Trojans commenced to scoring in the third period at 7:59 on a 23 yard dash from Snobl. Brenner ran in the PAT. Chase Brenner ran in the final Barnesville score of the game at 1:06 on a 23 yard scamper. The PAT kick was blocked by WCAA's Sr (DL) Ben Johnsrud. The Knight found traction with their pass game in the 4th quarter. It enabled them to navigate the field and post two scores. The first came from Sr (QB) Isaiah Sykora and Sr (RB) Scott Johnson. The two hooked up for a 21 yard strike through the air. The final score was at 4:31. The Knights maneuvered down to the three yard line and called upon Sr (OL) Ben Johnsrud. Ben took the hand-off and plowed his way to pay dirt. Johnsrud also followed it up with a two point conversion run. Final score of the game...38-14. 

Offensively the Knights, at times, moved the ball. They completed 51 snaps and gathered up 265 yards. Consistency was more of an issue, hampered by the defense of the 4th ranked team in 2A football. As mentioned before the passing game was able to open up a bit. Isaiah Sykora completed 9/22 attempts for 151 yards and a TD. Jr (RB) Braden Overson also launched a 25 yard pass from the half-back spot to round off the throwing. Five Knight receivers caught passes. Scott Johnson led the group catching four of them for 92 yards and a TD. Rushing was less successful. The team ground out 89 yards on 37 attempts. Braden Overson led the backs in carries and yards with 14 attempts and 33 yards. 

Barnesville put on a clinic as to how to move a football, usually only penalties stopped them. The team averaged 8.41 yards per clip as they racked up 404 yards on 48 plays. 41 rushes for 351 yards and six completions for another 53 yards. Defensive leaders for the Knights were So. (DB) Jordan Lohse with 5 tackles and 3 assists, Sr (LB) Tanner Bennet with 3 tackles and 6 assists and (DB) Braden Overson with a pair of tackles and 4 assists. 

This week the 1-2 Knights return home to Barrett as on Friday, September 21 the team hosts the 1-2 Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines. Kickoff is set for 7 pm.