North Border's Jaxen Johnson sparks 9-man East over West at Shrine Bowl

Tom Miller, Grand Forks Herald
·2 min read

Jun. 19—MAYVILLE, N.D. — North Border's Jaxen Johnson is the reigning 6-man player of the year in North Dakota.

It turns out he remembers how to play 9-man football, too.

Johnson, a 6-foot-4 quarterback with a college commitment to play linebacker at Minnesota State Moorhead, threw for 43 yards, ran for 45 yards and had a hand in both East team touchdowns in a 14-0 win over the West in the North Dakota 9-man Shrine Bowl on Saturday at Jerome Berg Field.

With 39 seconds left in the first half, Johnson capped a scoring drive with a 15-yard out pass to Johnny Gutzmer of Wyndmere-Lidgerwood for a touchdown. The defensive back on the play attempted to jump the route, mistimed the pass and Gutzmer scored easily to make it 6-0.

Johnson powered the East's scoring drive to start the fourth quarter, as well.

After a West fumble, the East took advantage of a short field with a drive starting on the 35.

Johnson picked up a fourth-and-3 with a 4-yard carry early in the drive and had runs of 7 and 13 yards right after the fourth-down conversion. On second-and-goal from the 2, Johnson used his big frame to bully his way into the end zone for a two-score lead.

Johnson hit Gutzmer for the 2-point conversion for the final margin.

The East dominated ball control, behind the play of Johnson and Clearbrook-Gonvick running back Aiden Churness, a Minnesota all-state pick. Churness ran 19 times for 83 yards.

The West's best chance to threaten the East lead followed thanks to a 14-play drive.

But on first-and-10 from the 13, West quarterback Tucker Schneider of Napoleon-Gackle-Streeter was intercepted in the end zone by Charlie Bowman of LaMoure-Litchville-Marion.

The East was able to milk the remaining clock.

The West was led by wide receiver Dylan Rud of New Salem-Almont, who had five grabs for 46 yards.

N.D. Shrine Game

9-man

Second quarter

E — Johnny Gutzmer 15 pass from Jaxen Johnson (run failed)

Fourth quarter

E — Johnson 2 run (Gutzmer pass from Johnson)

Individual leaders

RUSHING — E: Aiden Churness 19-83, Jaxen Johnson 9-45; W: Easton Frey 7-25

PASSING — E: Johnson 3-4-0, 43 yards; W: Tucker Schneider 10-22-2, 66 yards

RECEIVING — E: Johnny Gutzmer 3-22, Chad Parisien Jr. 1-24; W: Dylan Rud 5-46