By Mike Drooger –

When a high school nine-man football team starts two seniors, two juniors, two sophomores, two freshmen, and an eighth-grader, all games will present certain challenges. That’s the situation coach Andrew Fleischman and his Flying Dutchmen had faced through the 2021 season’s first six games. Then Jared Fischer—labeled by Coach Fleischman one of the best linemen he’s had in this his 20th year as head coach—went down with a knee injury. Brady Jandl (8th) replaced Fischer (10th) on offense while Keaton Arp (9th) was inserted defensively when Edgerton traveled to Granada to take on the Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman Jaguars on Saturday afternoon, October 16.

The Jaguars coach could say, “Welcome to my world,” when the coaches met before the game. They were down to their third-string quarterback after a broken leg and a broken collarbone, respectively, took care of QBs one and two.

Both teams made the best of the cards dealt them, but Edgerton ended up with a better hand in the end cruising to a satisfying 34-20 win. In Fleischman’s postgame interview on KDWC radio with Ross Kreun, the headman stated, “The guys played great. I am proud of the way they handle the challenges week to week. They have dealt with adversity. They don’t make excuses. When the season could have gone south from the beginning, they found a way to keep it together. They are showing maturity beyond their years.”

Edgerton’s defense held GHECT on the game’s opening possession, and 11 plays later the Dutchmen gained the end zone when Nolan Buckridge plunged over the goal line from the one. The play was set up after a fourth-down pass from Blake Schultz to Jacob Fischer, a gain of 14 yards. Michael Gunnink sneaked into the end zone just inside the pylon for the two-point conversion and an 8-0 EHS lead.

Later, after a Carter Amundson tackle for a three-yard loss, the Jags went to the air for a 53-yard TD pass. The conversion was stopped for an 8-6 score.

Jacob Fischer put good pressure on the Jags QB to force an incompletion, which set up a punt on fourth-and-six. Amundson busted through the line to block the punt giving Edgerton the ball at the 11. It took Buckridge one rushing attempt to hit pay dirt. There was no PAT for a score of 14-6.

GHECT tied the score at 14. Edgerton fumbled on the ensuing possession, the Jags recovered, but the Dutchmen defense forced a punt. They began the first half’s final drive at the 26 needing to go 74 yards for a score.