Palmer prevails

PALMER — As the Palmer Moose prepared to host North Pole in a key Railbelt Conference match this week, Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen called for more big plays on both sides of the field.

On Saturday, Christiansen’s players answered.

Senior Zach Zegzdryn intercepted a late Lee Jones pass near the goal line to preserve a 25-21 win over the Patriots at Machetanz Field.

“Big players make big plays,” Palmer senior running back Brennan Bohman said. “And that’s what he did right there.”

Zegzdryn sealed the come-from-behind win over the defending Railbelt champions, and junior Kyle Scheibe and senior John Scoresby recovered fumbles that directly set up Palmer points, as the Moose improved to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in Railbelt play.

While the Scheibe and Scoresby recoveries proved to be integral to the comeback effort, it was Zegzdryn who saved what potentially could have been a heartbreaking defeat for the Moose.

With 45 seconds remaining in regulation, North Pole was primed to punch in the go-ahead score. Led by Jones, North Pole’s linebacker-sized quarterback, the Patriots held the ball, 1st-and-goal at the 7-yard-line. With two receivers split to the left, Zegzdryn cut in front of the intended target — North Pole senior Jared Isaacson — picked off the Jones pass, ran up the field and trigged an eruption of a raucous homecoming crowd.

“All week, we said we’ve got to take away the slant,” Bohman said. “Ziggy’s been working hard all year, and he stepped up for us.”

Christiansen said Zegzdryn’s play was a testament to his players’ work in practice.

“That’s one of their biggest plays out of that formation,” Christiansen said of the Patriots’ offensive set. “We drilled that and drilled that, and (Zegzdryn) broke on it perfect.”

Bohman scored twice and rushed for a game-high 161 yards for the Moose, who moved one step closer to securing one of the Railbelt’s final two playoff spots.

Zegzdryn booted a 31-yard field goal and senior Coleman Ahrens added a 1-yard touchdown for the Moose.

Jones ran for a score and passed for another, and senior Eric Antesberger added another touchdown for the Patriots, who dropped to 3-2 in the Railbelt Conference. North Pole, which plays Lathrop next week, is also a win away from the playoffs.

Palmer needs a win over Wasilla (2-3) in the annual Potato Bowl Friday to punch its playoff ticket.

Zegzdryn’s interception spoiled a 16-play, 57-yard drive in which North Pole burned much of the final 8:30 left on the fourth-quarter clock. The long Patriots drive followed a Bohman 4-yard score that was set up by the Schiebe recovery.

Palmer posted its go-ahead score at the 8:31 mark of the fourth when Bohman capped a quick, three-play drive with the short touchdown run.

Earlier in the fourth quarter, with North Pole facing a mind-boggling 2nd-and-38 at its own 6-yard line, the Patriots fumbled a handoff, and the ball bounced right into the hands of Scheibe. The combination of four penalties and a seven-yard loss pinned North Pole deep in its own end.

Bohman’s first touchdown of the game was also set up by a turnover deep in North Pole territory.

With about six minutes remaining in the second quarter, and the Patriots facing 4th-and-9 on the 19, Scoresby broke through the North Pole offensive line and dove to block a Patriots punt. Scoresby recovered the ball on his own block, giving the Moose the ball on the 14-yard line.

“Our defense has been phenomenal this whole year,” Bohman said. “A lot of our play-making has been on defense.”

Three plays later, Bohman burst through the middle of the Palmer front, followed an Ahrens lead block and scored a 9-yard touchdown.

While Palmer benefited from a pair of North Pole fumbles, the Patriots did all of their damage following Palmer turnovers.

North Pole senior Justin Chace sacked Palmer quarterback Dustin Silva late in the first quarter, and North Pole recovered the ball at the Palmer 33-yard line.

Early in the second, Jones put the Patriots on the board with an 11-yard touchdown run.

After Palmer took the 10-7 lead in the second, Phillip Hingst intercepted a Silva pass with 22 seconds left in the first half.

Four plays later, with just one second showing on the clock, Lee connected with senior Josh Hollett on a 35-yard score to give the Patriots the 14-10 halftime lead.

Jones lofted a pass down the right sideline on the final play of the first half. Hollett, sprinting down the sideline, used a fingertip grab to haul in the catch, and was able to muscle his way past a pair of Palmer defenders en route to the end zone.

In the third quarter, North Pole capitalized off a Palmer turnover once again to take the 21-10 lead.

Midway through the third, Silva tried to his Bohman, who was alone in the flats, but Chase was able to put his arms up and snag the Silva pass out of the air at the North Pole 16-yard line. Chace returned the interception 52 yards, deep into Palmer territory.

Antesberger, who led the Patriots with 155 yards on the ground, capped a short, four-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown.

On the ensuing drive, Ahrens narrowed the margin with a 1-yard touchdown run. Silva set up the score with a 39-yard pass to tight end Mike Daniels.

Palmer cut the North Pole lead to 21-18 with the two point conversion, a Silva pass to Ahrens, and was able to secure the go-ahead score on its next drive.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Palmer 25, North Pole 21

Saturday, Palmer High School

Second quarter

North Pole — Jones 11 run (Martinez kick) 11:48.

Palmer — Zegzdryn 31 field goal, 8:01

Palmer — Bohman 9 run (Zegzdryn kick) 5:08.

Palmer — Hollett 35 pass from Jones (Martinez kick) 00:00.

Third quarter

North Pole — Antesberger 5 run (Martinez kick) 3:44.

Palmer — Ahrens 1 run (Ahrens pass from Silva) 00:09.

Fourth quarter

Palmer — Bohman 4 run (Zegzdryn kick) 8:31.

Individual statistics

RUSHING —North Pole: Antesberger 17-155, Jones 1543, Innis 4-35, Isaacson 1-1; Palmer: Bohman 23161, Ahrens 964, Silva 63, Scoresby 1-1.

PASSING — North Pole: Jones 3-11-1—66; Palmer: Silva 3-7-1—58.

RECEIVING — North Pole: Isaacson 2-31, Hollett 1-35; Palmer: Ahrens 2-19, Daniels 1-39.