Sept. 7: Fargo South (66) at Fargo North (7)

What time is it? Game time!

Midway through the third quarter of a blowout game, Dave Weiler and I lost track of the game.

Weiler's friend brought our attention back to the field with five words: "This is a big one."

The upcoming play had little outcome on the game -- by now, Fargo South was beating Fargo North 53-7. The Bruins, thanks in part to Weiler's sons Jacob and Josh, were going to win this one handily.

The "big one" in question was the fourth down South now faced. And rather than mess with a punt or try a risky play, South coach Troy Mattern sent Jacob Weiler out to try a 52-yard field goal.

The time was right for such a kick -- little risk, no wind, centered placement.

Never mind that Jacob Weiler had already put in a full day's work prior to the kick. And then some.

Jacob and Josh Weiler aren't just football players. They're soccer players, too. And in North Dakota, that means they split their time on two different teams.

Dave Weiler explained how it works -- most of the time, Jacob and Josh practice with the soccer team. About once a week, they come to football practice to work on special teams.

Most of the time, soccer games aren't scheduled for Friday nights, so Jacob, a senior, and Josh, a sophomore, can play games for both teams. For the football team, Jacob handles field goals and kickoffs while Josh handles extra points.

Soccer is the first priority, as Jacob Weiler is drawing interest from several college soccer programs, including a couple Division I schools. Football, however, is an opportunity neither Weiler wanted to give up.

Not every school does the double-dip, but Dave Weiler said the South coaches of both teams have been open to the idea and willing to work around his sons' schedules. So many things have to go right, and so many coaches and players have to coordinate, that Dave Weiler knows just how fortunate his sons are to have the chance. 

"It's a neat thing South does," he said. 

But on Friday, the South Bruin soccer team had a nonconference soccer match scheduled against Eden Prairie, Minn. The soccer game was scheduled for 5 p.m.; the football game, 7 p.m.

Dave Weiler said it was the first time the schedules had ever intersected. Most games are spread throughout the week, like the 1-1 tie game South had with West Fargo on Thursday night, in which Jacob Weiler scored the Bruins' only goal and, according to the tracker on his shoe, ran about eight and a half miles.

On Friday, Jacob Weiler, a central midfielder, scored a goal to help the Bruins beat Eden Prairie 4-2.

But as soon as the game was over -- even before the South squad got together for their postgame huddle -- the Weilers were gone, dad Dave, mom Paula, boys Jacob and Josh zooming across Fargo in the family car, off to the football game.

Try as they might, they couldn't get to North High School in time.

And when South scored the first touchdown of the game, the Bruins, minus their two kickers, elected to go for the two-point conversion.

The Weilers saw the touchdown; Jacob and Josh hustled as fast as they could, scampering onto the sidelines as the team lined up for the conversion. Although they didn't make it in time for the kick (and South converted anyway to take an 8-0 lead), Jacob did make it to the field in time for the subsequent kickoff.

That first kickoff wasn't great for Weiler's standards; it only reached to about the 10-yard line.

"He was worried he was going to get too tired," Dave Weiler admitted. 

But that kick came just after Jacob had finished running about five miles. After he had the chance to rest and regain his legs, he was fine.

With South scoring touchdowns seemingly at will, the senior had plenty of chances to swing his leg. Several kickoffs went into the end zone for touchbacks; a 41-yard field goal sailed through the uprights with ease. Josh added five extra points as the Bruins took a 46-7 halftime lead; Jacob's opening kickoff of the second half went eight yards deep into the end zone.

And then: the "big one."

After running more than five miles and scoring a goal in a soccer game that ended just a couple hours prior; after eight kickoffs and a 41-yard field goal; just barely a full day after a 8.5-mile soccer game against West Fargo; and, oh yeah, after a full day of school, Jacob Weiler lined up for a 52-yard field goal.

No problem.

The kick sailed over the crossbar, darn near down the middle, with about a yard or two to spare. Jacob Weiler had just set new South school record for longest field goal, breaking the old record by a full six yards. 

The score was now 56-7.

Dave Weiler let out a shout -- or, more specifically, several shouts -- that normally don't come attached to a late field goal in a blowout.

The shouts weren't for the score, though. It was the stress of multiple commitments, the hectic schedule of two teenage boys in two sports apiece, the adrenaline rush of a quick cross-town commute from one game to another, the opportunity few high school students have and even fewer attempt.

This was the moment that made it all worth it.

For the players and the parents.

Why not shout about that?

Random observations: The North football facility is really nice, if not a bit cramped. Do all Fargo fields eschew visitor-side bleachers? I guess I'll find out. Of course, the lack of visitor bleachers gave us a beautiful view of the North pool twisty blue water slide. ... From what I've seen, for the most part, Fargo is a city (and North Dakota is a state) where sportsmanship is not much of a worry. Everyone is pretty well-behaved. Even so, South's student section really got on North's players, specifically North quarterback Avery Thompson, in a way that made me uncomfortable. To Thompson's credit, he was the bigger man (at least from what I saw) than the fuzzy-hatted heckler in the South student section who was trying to pick on him. ... Full disclosure -- I left soon after the "big one." We just bought a house and I had left my wife alone cleaning the new house. I left at 56-7, but as I was driving away, I did notice the scoreboard had flipped over to 63-7. ... Depending on how I schedule the rest of my Fridays, I may not have the chance to see North again. Which is too bad. Even though the Spartans are 0-3, I see flashes of good things from that team and would like to see them again after they have a couple more weeks under their belts. That said, I know I will see South again, at least once more and maybe twice.

Next week: Duluth Denfield at Moorhead.

--patrick