Homecoming Norsemen Football Defeats Denver Cyclones

By Grayson S.

The 1-2 Norsemen take on the 2-1 Cyclones at Kerry Van Winkle Field at the Roland-Story Sports Complex. The Norsemen are looking for their first home win of the season to get them back to .500. Field conditions weren’t too great due to rain earlier in the day. The football game still turned out to be exciting with touchdowns and turnovers.

The Norsemen received the ball first, and the opening drive ended in a touchdown, but Cael Faber missed the extra point, so the score was only 6-0. The Cyclones took the lead by a touchdown of their own. They also missed the extra point, but it was redone due to an offside on the Norsemen, and they made it the second time, making the score 6-7.

The Norsemen ended up going three-and-out on their next drive, but Jackson Joerger would throw an interception to Luke Thoreson on the Cyclones' next possession. Colin Willis would then throw an interception back to the Cyclones, and they almost extended their lead by a touchdown, but Jackson Joerger got sacked twice in the red zone, which eventually led to a turnover on downs.

The Norsemen took the lead back with another touchdown, and they successfully converted the 2-point conversion, making the score 14-7. After a Cyclones punt, Willis threw another interception to the Cyclones' defense. The Cyclones failed to convert 4th down again, and the Norsemen capitalized on that with their 3rd touchdown of the game, putting them ahead 21-7 at halftime with the extra point being made.

The Roland-Story Marching Band performed at halftime, starting with the RS Homecoming Court walking down midfield as they were announced at the beginning of the halftime performance. The Marching Band performed One Shining Moment during that, with the Homecoming King and Queen, Maddie Berggren and Hayden Janssen, being announced last. The Marching Band then performed Waka Waka and the RS School Song.

The Denver Cyclones punted on the first possession of the second half. Willis threw another interception, and the Cyclones were able to score a touchdown from that, cutting the Norsemen's lead to 21-14. From there, the game turned into a defensive showdown after two straight turnovers on downs. The Norsemen had an equipment issue with 1:48 left in the game, and the penalty was originally accepted. However, there was confusion among the players and fans after the Cyclones decided to decline it to make it a fourth down, which the Norsemen punted, giving the Cyclones a chance to tie the game.

The Cyclones were on pace to tie the game at 21-21 just before regulation ended, until Jackson Joerger mishandled one of the snaps, and Gavin Jeter recovered it for the Norsemen. Willis then kneeled twice to run the clock out, giving Norsemen the 21-14 victory upset over the Denver Cyclones after a scoreless 4th quarter. The Norsemen were back at .500 after the win, tied for second place in the conference, with only Dike-New Hartford ahead of them, the only team in the conference at a 3-1 record. The Norsemen ended the game with 3 touchdowns, 5 sacks, caught an interception, recovered a fumble, and forced 2 punts alongside 3 turnovers on downs. Colin Willis threw for 267 yards, and the Norsemen had a total of 94 rushing yards. The Norsemen look to have a winning record for their 3rd straight year.

Location: Story City, IA 50248, USA

Popular posts from this blog

The Road to State

By Kelsey J. We had been preparing for this one day for months. State came and went for the Roland-Story Jazz band. But it was the preparation leading up to it that mattered the most. The Roland-Story Jazz Band was set to compete on April 8th at 2:45 pm. The two weeks leading up to it were very stressful and filled with tons of practice. Between sectionals, full band practices, and clinics we were booked tight.  To be able to become better, you have to seek the help of the very best along the way. The Roland-Story Jazz band’s first clinic was with Bob Neunier. He came and listened to the band on March 31st. Bob is the Professor of Percussion & Director of Bands at Drake University, where he is the conductor of the wind symphony and director of percussion studies. The kids brought him in to help give tips and advice to the band. With his elite skill set, he helped to lock in the rhythm with the rest of the band. He gave new ideas and insights on how we could take our band from g...
Read more

Back in the Swing of Things: The Return of Roland-Story’s Jazz Band

By Mason S. The Roland-Story Jazz Band is gearing up for a year of swinging songs, soulful solos, and jaw-dropping performances. After placing 3rd last year at the Iowa Jazz Championships, this year's band has big shoes to fill, especially to keep the rich musical tradition alive and prove that they are one of the top ensembles in the entire state. Students have been working hard to perfect their musical selections, from big-band Jazz Standards to modern funk hits. Lead trombone player Bradey Haberl said, “I think this year's music is some of the best I’ve ever played. It's definitely my favorite by far, but it is also by far the most difficult music we have ever played. This increased difficulty in music is not without reason. The rhythm section currently comprises all returning players: Aubrey Britten on bass, Cael Vermeer on piano, Mason Schnurstein on guitar, with Ella Murphy and Eli Van Hove both on percussion. The rhythm section is the glue that keeps the band togethe...
Read more

A Night of Jazz

By Brynn A. Nerves ran high and singers belted their hearts out under the stage lights as the Roland-Story Jazz Choir took to Dallas Center-Grimes High School to compete in the 2025 State Vocal Jazz Championships. Held on April 1, the competition is designed to showcase the very best vocal jazz ensembles that the state has to offer, with the competition in the 2A division better than it has ever been. After winning the championship the previous four years, pressure weighed down the shoulders of every performer in the group, but none of them faltered.  Roland-Story Vocal Jazz consists of 16 singers, as well as piano, percussion, and bass players. This year, our group was led by eight seniors, all of whom gave their everything to this ensemble in the last several months! Succeeding in the ensemble requires dedication to early Wednesday practices, as well as commitment to working during seminar and choir periods. There are typically only two people per part performing very difficult s...
Read more