Wide receiver Chase Krivashei and tailback Ja’Quan Gardner celebrate a touchdown. Credit: File

The Humboldt State University football team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II tournament today after beating South Dakota’s Augustana University in a raucous game with back-and-forth offensive thrills.

Augustana returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, quieting a full house of Jacks fans, but HSU quickly answered, and the teams went into the second half tied 17-17.

Ja’Quan Gardner ran for 246 yards. Credit: Grant Scott-Goforth

The Jacks, who hadn’t advanced into the postseason since 1968, broke it open in the second half, going on to win 45-31. HSU will play Northwestern Missouri State in Maryland, Missouri on Nov. 28.

HSU has been racking up all sorts of recognition this season, most notably for sophomore tailback Ja’Quan Gardner, whose record-setting season got him recognized as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s offensive player of the year.

Fans flocked to Redwood Bowl to support the Jacks. Credit: File
Wide receiver Chase Krivashei pulls in a touchdown pass. Credit: Grant Scott-Goforth
HSU plays Northwestern Missouri State next weekend. Credit: Grant Scott-Goforth
Head Coach Rob Smith congratulates the team. Credit: Grant Scott-Goforth

This article appears in Stray.

Grant Scott-Goforth was an assistant editor and staff writer for The Journal from 2013 to 2017.

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