A year ago Jalen Esters had the tough task of watching Rochester Community and Technical College football games from the sidelines as he took a medical redshirt. The wide receiver is now rearing to go for his sophomore season.
Esters and the 18th-ranked Yellowjackets got the season off to a great start with a 54-17 home win over North Dakota State College of Science in a rematch of last year's state semifinals, won 54-31 by RCTC in Rochester.
RCTC coach Bill Quistorff figured NDSCS would be one of the Yellowjackets' tougher foes in the regular season.
"I think we have something (good) to work with," Quistorff said following Saturday's one-side win.
The passing attack was again expected to be very good with Nick Rooney returning for his sophomore season. He threw for 48 touchdowns and more than 3,500 yards a year ago and he picked up right where he left off.
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Rooney was 25-for-36 passing for 311 yards and four touchdowns against NDSCS.
"Coming into our first game, we (the offense) thought we were going to be a little slow," Rooney said. "But right now? We're way ahead of last year."
Rooney lost all of his top receivers from a year ago. He said the team had struggled some in the preseason but just last Thursday "the switch just flipped."
Esters, waiting in the wings a year ago, stepped up Saturday and caught a team-high nine passes for 93 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 34-yard strike in the first quarter that put RCTC ahead for good at 6-3.
"The coaches, they stood by me and gave me the opportunity to come back," Esters said.
"Jalen's back and he worked his butt off and it showed today," Rooney said.
Esters, from Port Huron, Mich., was able to get work in with Rooney in the offseason.
"We got together and now we're able to hook right up," Esters said.
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When given time, Rooney was on the mark against NDSCS. That included a 15-for-20 effort in the first half with two touchdowns and 189 yards passing.
"We've got a great quarterback and he wants things to go perfect," Esters said. "Once we get rolling, I don't think there's anyone who can stop us."
That was on display at the end of the first half. RCTC held a 20-3 lead when it took over at its own 5 with 2:42 left in the second quarter. Rooney hit four straight passes for all 95 yards and a touchdown in a drive that took just one minute. He had two deep strikes to freshman Terrance Bowers of Hopkins. The plays covered 36 and 39 yards, the second being for the touchdown.
"When they started getting tired, we hit them," Rooney said.
Bowers finished with six catches for 130 yards and the touchdown.
"We've got a lot of good receivers and everyone gets their chance," Rooney said.
He noted that included Landon Covington. The reserve from a year ago had four catches for 37 yards, including an 11-yard TD catch in the third quarter. Esters added a highlight-reel 3-yard TD grab late in the game, a leaping one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone.
"That catch was my Odell Beckham," Esters said, referring to the New York Giants receiver known for making great one-handed grabs. "It's a dream of every wide receiver."
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RCTC added a strong game on defense, and in part, on special teams. The defense picked off four passes — two by Cedrion Sacus and one each by Brandon Gaither and Victor Rivera — and held NDSCS to 18 yards rushing on 20 attempts.
The Yellowjackets added a pair of special teams touchdowns. Lakye Alston returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown while Devon Robinson recovered a muffed NDSCS punt return in the end zone for another score.
"The No. 1 thing is to stay humble and stay hungry," Quistorff said. "This is a dang good group of kids and a dang good group of sophomores."
That being said, Quistorff noted the Yellowjackets must clean up the kicking game and penalties. RCTC had two extra-point kicks blocked and had 16 penalties for 182 yards.
RCTC (1-0) will play at Minnesota West at 5 p.m. this coming Saturday.
