Blue Jays host local Special Olympians, fall 2-1 to Bismarck
May 9—JAMESTOWN — Usually the Jamestown Blue Jays wear white and blue with a Blue Jays logo but in their game against Bismarck High School on Tuesday, May 9, the Jays were wearing a different logo and color scheme. They were wearing red with the logo of the Special Olympics on their chests. The game itself did not go the Blue Jays' way though as they lost 2-1 to the Demons at the UJ Turf Field.
"It's really cool to have this opportunity to give back," Blue Jays head coach Colton Altringer said. "In the past, we've done other groups, organizations and charities but this one is really cool where a number of our girls have participated with the Special Olympians in the past. A couple of the girls did it last summer and we had a couple seniors that graduated previously that were also a part of it. So, to incorporate a program that has already been in our program where the girls have already helped out is really cool."
The Demons struck first when Peyton Neumiller took a shot from distance that hit off the Blue Jays goalie Olivia Sorlie's hands and into the net to make it 1-0. The Blue Jays (4-2-2, 3-2-1) got one back on a similar play when Breanna Oettle took a shot that smacked off the crossbar and off the Demons goalie Aliveya Fink's hands and into the goal to tie the game up at one.
At halftime of the game, members of the Blue Jays junior varsity team and members of the Special Olympics North Dakota soccer team kicked the ball around. One of the people that was participating was Richard Kraft.
"It was really fun," Kraft said. "We had a great time and we thank the Blue Jays for inviting us tonight."
Some of the Special Olympians stayed around and watched the second half, including Tyler Halvorson. Halvorson was excited to spend time with the team and continue to work on his skills as a goalie. Halvorson said he found out about him and his teammates being honored last week.
The Blue Jays thought they had broken the tie midway through the second half when a corner was played in and they headed the ball in but the goal was immediately waved off as it was determined to have gone out of bounds. Later in the half, the Demons (7-1-0, 5-1-0) took a 2-1 lead when a ball was played into the box and pinballed around before eventually finding the back of the net.
The Blue Jays return to the field at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 11, when they go to Dickinson.
BHS 2, JHS 1
BHS: 1 1 — 2
JHS: 1 0 — 1
Scoring plays:
First half:
BHS: Peyton Neumiller
JHS: Breanna Oettle
Second half:
BHS: Averie Hanson
