Jamestown Blue Jays stun No. 1 Minot United 3-2 Tuesday night

Jamestown High School rallied for a 3-2 victory over top-ranked Minot United Tuesday night, handing the visitors a surprise loss and energizing a packed house at Wilson Arena. Jamestown scored twice in the second period and held off a late Minot charge to secure the win.

Minot struck first when Nick Christopher converted at 13:09 of the first period, with assists from Oliver Thompson and Tait Thorson. Jamestown responded in the second with Gavin Schafer converting on an assist from Brady Nenow at 2:56, Schafer’s third goal of the season. Parker Roelfsema pushed Jamestown ahead at 11:52 on a feed from Braxton Burkett; that was Roelfsema’s 10th goal of the campaign. John Belzer added an insurance goal at 10:56 of the third period on assists from Roelfsema and Bennett Goehner. Minot’s late third-period goal brought the score to 3-2, but the available reports do not identify the scorer or the time for Minot’s second goal; that detail remains to be confirmed with the official box score.

Netminder Leif Hanson kept Jamestown in the game with 22 saves, while Minot goalie Luke Richeson recorded 20 saves. Jamestown outshot Minot 27-24. Penalty totals were even, five infractions for 10 minutes apiece.

The victory snapped Jamestown’s 11-day pause between games caused by weather and illness, a disruption that had worried the coaching staff about potential rust. Head coach Jake Stilwell said, "It's always fun to beat Minot," and added, "It was a packed barn at John L tonight and that's always fun to see." Despite the layoff, the Jays played with energy and focus, a performance that will matter as the WDA season tightens.

The win improved Jamestown’s standing in the West region; News Dakota reported Jamestown at 9-2 in the West and 9-3 overall following the game, while Minot slipped to 12-2 in the West and 14-4 overall. Those records shift postseason math for local brackets and affect home-ice opportunities that matter to student-athletes and families who travel for weekend games.

Beyond the scoreboard, the game highlights community issues that surfaced during the layoff. Weather and illness forced cancellations that disrupted practice schedules and created uncertainty for students balancing academics, health, and athletics. Those interruptions underscore the need for robust support systems for student-athletes, including timely access to medical care, mental health resources, and equitable transportation and facility policies so smaller-town teams can compete without added burden.

Jamestown travels to face Bismarck Legacy on Friday in another big West-region matchup, puck drop scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Jan. 27 win gives the Jays a confidence boost heading into that showdown, and it leaves local fans and families hoping the program’s health supports keep players available and ready for the stretch run.