When I headed out for the Two Harbors Agates vs Proctor Rails football game on Friday it started to rain. I thought to myself it might be canceled and, when I checked in the parking lot of a local gas station, I found it was still game on. I should have known better. Football players and their fans are hardcore. In fact, even though it got drizzly and drizzlier, I’m sure many that were out at the Two Harbors Homecoming game would say “it wasn’t so bad.”
The energy always heightened at a homecoming game. The team’s big entrance to the field was proof of this. Though I couldn’t see it, luckily I caught the players entrance to the field online over the weekend. A tunnel of skilled position players, cheerleaders, students and fans formed in front of a rockin’ cattle trailer. When they were released, the football players stomped out of their cage and charged like bulls onto the field.
The student section was on point, with Halloween-costumed fans obeying the cheerleaders’ cheers and, as the announcers announced, were “keeping the night magical”. Alumni cheerleaders were also in attendance for the occasion. The Two Harbors High School choir sang the National Anthem after the American Legion provided the Col-or Guard. Silver Bay William Kelley High School band banded together with the Two Harbors High School band.
The night was definitely rockin’ for the Agates team, who are teamed up with the Silver Bay Mariner players. They were quickly on the board when #22 Cash Williams, a senior running back and linebacker, ran a 9-yard touchdown. #15 Zach Johnson, a sophomore running back and defensive back, kicked for the extra point. A few minutes later, another touchdown was in the books thanks to a good pass to #10 Tate Nelson, a junior running back and defensive back, from #11 Jacob Nelson, a junior quarterback and defensive back. The 23-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful.
Just over a minute later in the game, #10 Tate Nelson was at it again, running another 9-yard touchdown. The following two-point conversion run by #22 Cash Williams brought the score to 21-0. Before the quarter was done, #10 Tate Nelson scored yet another touchdown, for a 5-yard gain.
The next quarter began with a score of 27-0. At the 11:10 mark, #25 Isaiah Hietala, a senior running back and defense back, ran a 14-yard touchdown. #15 Zach Johnson once again got the extra point. The Agates fans would stand up and cheer soon after, when #10 Tate Nelson scored after a 1-yard run into the endzone.
In the third quarter, #22 Cash Williams ran a 40-yard touchdown, and #15 Zach Johnson once again got the extra point. The Proctor Rails rallied with 3:46 left in the game. A nice pass from #22 Zak McPhee, a Rails quarter-back, found fellow senior #15 Tanner Foucault who scored a touchdown on a 21-yard gain. A successful two-point conversion, a pass from #22 Zak McPhee to #2 senior wide receiver Henry Moeller, put the final score of the night on the scoreboard of 47-8 Agates.
Throughout the game umbrellas went up, umbrellas went down, and (on at least one occasion) an umbrella went flying upward into the stands. It was wet, cold, and windy, yet fans of both teams stuck it out. The cheerleaders donned some rain gear and never stopped cheering. I think the band had to duck out when the rain wouldn’t relent. You don’t want those instruments getting too rusty. The student section stayed amped up, their homecoming dance set to follow the game. When I left, a few minutes early, a little kid excitedly told his mom “I think the Agates might win!”
Congrats to the Agates and all their fans for the Homecoming win and best of luck this season!
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