During Esko's game early Friday night against Deer River, most fans would have thought that the Eskomos held a lead. Esko was able to move the ball up and down the field, but they struggled when it came to putting the ball in the end zone against the Warriors. In the end, it was Deer River taking the 16-7 Great Polar White Conference victory over the Eskomos.
"We just didn't close the deal," reflected Esko coach Bill Hudspith. "We scored on an 11-play drive and then came up short on three other attempts."
The Eskomos opened the game by driving downfield and scoring on a Jake Olson-to-Ryan Eskuri 9-yard touchdown pass and after Jeff Lindemood kicked the extra point, it was 7-0.
That drive would be the last drive for Esko that would culminate in points. Instead, the Warriors managed to stem the Eskomo offensive tide and finally score in the second quarter when Barrett Isaacs plunged in for a 2-yard touchdown run. Isaacs also added the two-point conversion run which made it 8-7 in favor of the Warriors.
"Their defense didn't cause a great deal of problems for us, but we just didn't finish the job," explained Hudspith of his team's inability to score more points. "This was the third game we let slip through our fingers."
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Isaacs added a fourth quarter 36-yard touchdown run that made the score 14-7 and then he rumbled in for the conversion as well, making the final 16-7 for Deer River.
Esko quarterback Jake Olson was 16-for-22 in the passing department with 199 yards and a touchdown, and on the season he has passed for 742 yards, six touchdowns and given up two interceptions.
The Eskomos fall to 3-3 overall and 2-2 in the conference while Deer River is 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference. Deer River's only loss was a week ago to Moose Lake-Willow River.
