Nov 19, 2008 - 04:05:25 CST
Jared Jacob was expectedJared Jacob was expected to be a prominent ball carrier for the Linton-HMB Lions this season.Things didn't work out that way.
The Linton High School junior wound up handling the ball only 32 times in the Lions' Dakota Bowl campaign. Even so, he's thankful for every chance he got.
In early September, a tumor was discovered in the right side of Jacob's pelvis. He was later diagnosed with sarcoma, a cancer of the connective or supportive tissue. Intense chemotherapy started immediately in Fargo, and the three-day, every three-week cycle of treatments continue. From October to early November, he went through 25 straight days of radiation in Bismarck.
It's been a draining experience both physically and emotionally for Jacob, but his father Rod said he's been a pillar of strength through it all. Jacob is determined to fight the cancer, and win. In the meantime, he isn't letting it keep him from doing the things he loves most.
That included playing football this fall.
Amazingly, Jacob got back on the field in mid-September. The tumor had shrunk since the diagnosis, and his doctor gave him the go-ahead as long as his blood counts were normal, and he didn't over-exert himself.
Jacob appeared in several games, including last Friday's Class A state title contest against Harvey. He carried the ball three times and caught a pass in the Lions' 14-0 loss.
Jacob said returning to football was risky, but it was well worth it.
"My doctor told me that I would have surgery later on, and depending on how extensive it is, I might not be able to play ever again," he said. "So I asked if I could maybe play a little bit this year. I think I surprised him by asking him that. But after talking about it for a while, he said it would be fine if I didn't overdo it. I'm glad I got the chance. It was fun to be a part of the team, and the season we had."
Rob Jacob didn't think it was such a good idea at first, but he and his wife Denette decided to let their son give it a try.
"We wanted to give him a chance to do something he enjoys doing," Rod Jacob said. "Yes, we were concerned every time he was out there. But (Jared) knew how much he could take."
Jacob saw his first game action on homecoming night, Sept. 19. He came in during the third quarter, and scored on a 14-yard run.
"When Jared scored, I think that was the loudest I ever heard a Linton crowd cheer," Linton-HMB coach Dan Imdieke said. "It was awesome to see that. He's a very courageous and determined young man."
Jacob's ordeal began in late August, shortly after the start of preseason workouts. He complained of lower back pain, which at first was thought to be due to a bulging disk. The pain eventually spread to his right hip and leg. Later, an MRI showed a mass on his pelvis.
"I didn't know what to think when I heard that," Jacob said. "But you have to deal with it and fight it. You can't let it beat you."
The treatments appear to be working. Jacob is feeling no pain, and a CAT scan taken after his first chemotherapy treatment showed that the mass had shrunk by 40 percent. He hasn't lost any weight since the diagnosis. In fact, the 180-pound Jacob said he's gained a few pounds.
Another CAT scan will be taken on Monday. Surgery is scheduled for Dec. 1 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
"We'll find out next week how extreme the surgery is going to be," Jacob said. "The smaller the tumor is, the better. I'm feeling good right now. I'm optimistic."
Jacob came on strong late last season for the Lions, bolstering a struggling running game and helping Linton-HMB to the Class A semifinals. He rushed for 447 yards and averaged better than six yards per carry.
"Jared gave us some quickness in the backfield and we looked forward to having him back there again this year," Imdieke said. "When we heard the news about his cancer, we all took it hard. He's a good kid and he's well-liked. When something like that happens, it reminds you of how insignificant football or any other sport is. We just want him to get over this and live a long, happy life."
Jacob is also a wrestler, but he won't try to compete this winter. But he has his mind set on playing football his senior season.
"I have it in my head that I'm going to be playing next year," he said. "I'm not thinking any different."
DakotaBowlnotes
Four high school football state champions were crowned over the weekend, and none of them were ranked No. 1 in the final North Dakota Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association polls.
In 9-man, fifth-ranked Hillsboro rolled past No. 1 Williams County 46-8 in last Friday's title game. Second-ranked Harvey downed No. 4 Linton-HMB 14-0 in the Class A contest, six days after the Hornets disposed of No. 1 Velva 27-0. The top-ranked team in Class AA, Valley City, fell to third-ranked Watford City 40-20 last Saturday, and Class AAA's No. 1 team, Fargo South, lost to second-ranked Bismarck 28-19.
It shows you how much us pollsters know.
n I've seen some dominant teams before, but few were more dominant than Harvey was in its last eight games. The Hornets outscored their opponents 285-0 - 118-0 in the playoffs - after losing to Velva 20-7 on Sept. 19.
The Harvey defense posted its eighth straight shutout in the Class A state title game, but the offense should get an assist. Two second-half touchdown drives consumed more than 17 minutes. The second drive took 20 plays and ate up a Dakota Bowl record 11:03.
Hillsboro, Watford City and Bismarck also had impressive playoff runs. Hillsboro outscored four playoff opponents 192-44.
Watford City had an 89-20 advantage against three postseason foes.
Bismarck scored 105 points in three playoff games, compared to the 47 tallied by its opponents.
n My picks for title game Most Valuable Players:
9-man Running back Andrew Grothmann of Hillsboro, 161 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Class A Running back Kordel Wolfe of Harvey, 100 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Class AA Running back Kirby Knudtson of Watford City, 100 rushing yards, 92 receiving, three touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
Class AAA No, it's not a running back. It's the whole Bismarck defense.
By the way, Wolfe, an end, and linebackers Grothmann and Knudtson also had solid efforts on the defensive side.
n Bismarck not only won its first state championship since 2001, but it became the first West Region team since the 2001 campaign to claim a Class AAA state title. The previous six titles went to East Region teams - Fargo South (3), West Fargo (2) and Grand Forks Central (1).
Bismarck also snapped a five-game losing streak to the Bruins, dating back to 2005. The streak included a 40-14 loss in last season's state title game.
n Fred Fridley picked up his ninth state title as coach of the Watford City Wolves, putting him in second place all-time among North Dakota high school football coaches.
The late Sid Cichy coached 13 state champions at Fargo Shanley.
Fridley's team dominated the second half Saturday after trailing 14-13 in the first. The Wolves reeled off 27 unanswered points to take a 40-14 advantage. Watford City's offense clicked after an 89-yard first half. So did its defense. Valley City totaled 201 yards 190 rushing in the first two quarters, but went three-and-out three times and four-and-out once on its first four possessions of the second half.
n The Sandy brothers, Brad of Harvey and Larry of Velva, have coached 10 of the last 12 Class A state champions.
Brad notched his third title last Friday. Larry has the other seven, including four straight from 2003 to 2006.
n Watford City won't be back to defend its Class AA state title next year.
The Wolves will be moving to Class A under the new high school football alignment.
(Michael Weber is a Tribune sportswriter.)
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