Candy bars tucked into the waistband of senior Clay Malchow’s football pants left the question of whether his teammates on the Jackson County Central football team ever received sweet treats after a loss this season. This season, though, losing was something the Huskies never had to worry about.
The Huskies completed a perfect season with a Class 2A Prep Bowl championship victory Friday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium. With a 42-26 victory against previously unbeaten Staples-Motley (12-1), Jackson County Central (13-0) did something as special as it was unprecedented.
“We’re elated,” Huskies coach Tom Schuller said. “This is the first undefeated team in JCC history, and we have a storied history.”
Adversity existed, despite a season with no scoreboard losses.
Roman Voss, the 6-foot-4 quarterback considered Minnesota’s No. 1 recruit for the Class of 2026 — and who has eight Division I offers, including Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa — suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the Huskies’ state quarterfinal victory over Norwood Young America.
Senior Grant Freking filled in admirably for Voss against Staples-Motley. He led the offense by passing 8-for-12 for 212 yards and three touchdowns, two of those scores to receiver Ben Dahlin in the first half.
“Freking stepping in at quarterback ... [and] our offense isn’t the easiest thing to digest,” Schuller said. “So for him to go out and do what he did, that was special to me.”
Malchow, a senior at Jackson County Central, played his role at running back, kick/punt returner and defensive back with equal aplomb, and contributed 127 total yards, three touchdowns and an interception in Friday’s victory against Staples-Motley.
