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Nov. 14—FARGO — When the final pass hit the Fargodome turf and Minot North's inspired comeback fell short, Devils Lake coach Todd Lambrecht could finally celebrate.
Finally.
Twice, Lambrecht dropped to his knees in relief — the first time when a pass went incomplete and the game clock struck zero. But when officials determined that one second should be put back on the clock, Lambrecht had to endure one more play.
Considering Devils Lake had never won a state title, it was worth the wait.
Paced by 225 yards rushing by senior running back Bryar Exner, 217 yards passing by Mason Palmer and an opportunistic defense that forced a late-game turnover, Devils Lake topped Minot North 39-34 in the state Class AA title game Friday afternoon.
"This is amazing. I'm proud of our guys — they earned it," Lambrecht said, adding that Minot's repeated comebacks presented a "great lesson in life" for Devils Lake's players.
"There are always ups and downs, but no matter what happens, if something brings you down, you have to be mentally tough," he said. "We played together and worked together. Our front line did well, the defense had some stops and the offense was clicking at times. They played together."
Although Devils Lake led 26-21 at the end of the third quarter, Minot North was in the midst of a 10-play drive and appeared to be gaining momentum. But a fumble on a third-and-7 pass play was recovered by Devils Lake senior Luke Wasness, giving the Firebirds the ball at the Minot North 40.
Nine plays later, Mason Palmer found Will Heilman in the corner of the end zone from 11 yards out. Minot North then drove the length of the field on nine plays, however, and scored on a short run by Evan Berg, making it 33-28 with 4:52 to play.
Devils Lake countered with a 56-yard touchdown run by Exner, with 2:51 remaining, to go up 39-28, but Minot North went 65 yards on nine plays, scored on a 12-yard pass from Brayden Blikre to Christian Deadmon to cut it to 39-34.
The Sentinels' onside kick was unsuccessful, allowing Devils Lake to take possession at the 40. The Firebirds ran three plays, and Palmer's punt put the ball inside the 1-yard line with only five seconds left. Facing 99 yards of Fargodome turf, Minot North ran a play, an incomplete pass, and it appeared the game was over.
But referees put a second back on the clock and Lambrecht and the Firebirds — who withstood Minot North rallies all afternoon — had to endure one more play. When that pass hit the ground, a palpable feeling of relief and jubilation erupted from the Devils Lake sideline and crowd.
"At halftime, the talk was that they weren't going to give up," said Exner. "It feels amazing. That's a good Minot North team and we're in the dome. They weren't going to go down easy."
The game started with a frenzy, as well.
Minot North took a 2-0 lead early in the first quarter, when — after a three-and-out — a snap went over the punter's head into the end zone. What at first was ruled an incomplete pass was later declared a safety.
A highlight came midway into the first quarter. On a third-and-9 pass from his own 21, Devils Lake's Palmer evaded multiple tackles, scrambled toward the sideline and then doubled back toward the middle of the field. He then found Heilman downfield; Heilman brought in the pass, made one defender miss and eased into the end zone for the 79-yard touchdown, making it 6-2.
Later in the first quarter, Exner took a handoff up the middle, made two Minot North tacklers miss and took it 81 yards for a score.
After Exner's touchdown, Minot North fumbled on the kick return, recovered by Rylan Samuelson at the 34. On the first play, Palmer again found Heilman and again Heilman made at least two tacklers miss. And again, he eased into the end zone, putting the Firebirds up 20-2.
Also in the first quarter, Minot made it 20-9 on a 6-yard run by Christian Deadmond. He set up the score with a 52-yard run earlier on the drive.
It was 26-15 at halftime.
Exner's 225 yards came on 26 carries, while Palmer's 217 passing yards came on his 12-of-17 afternoon. He threw four touchdown passes — three to Heilman and one to Max Palmer.
For Minot North, Deadmond had 107 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and Cooper Chick had 85 yards on 15 attempts. Blikre was 13-of-23 for 150 yards and two touchdowns. The Sentinels had three turnovers and were plagued by missed tackles, especially in the first half.
"We turned it over a couple of times in the first half, and that's tough to overcome," said Minot North coach Jacob Holmen. "We didn't tackle very well today and their kid (Exner) ran very well. Credit to him. But our kids never quit and we were in it to the end. They battled hard."
Minot North finishes the season 11-1 — just the second varsity season for the new high school. Devils Lake finishes 10-2, avenging a 26-20 loss earlier this year to the Sentinels.
It's the Firebirds' first state title, but they have been to championship games in the past, falling in 2010, 2009, 2007 and 1989.
Continue reading...
Finally.
Twice, Lambrecht dropped to his knees in relief — the first time when a pass went incomplete and the game clock struck zero. But when officials determined that one second should be put back on the clock, Lambrecht had to endure one more play.
Considering Devils Lake had never won a state title, it was worth the wait.
Paced by 225 yards rushing by senior running back Bryar Exner, 217 yards passing by Mason Palmer and an opportunistic defense that forced a late-game turnover, Devils Lake topped Minot North 39-34 in the state Class AA title game Friday afternoon.
"This is amazing. I'm proud of our guys — they earned it," Lambrecht said, adding that Minot's repeated comebacks presented a "great lesson in life" for Devils Lake's players.
"There are always ups and downs, but no matter what happens, if something brings you down, you have to be mentally tough," he said. "We played together and worked together. Our front line did well, the defense had some stops and the offense was clicking at times. They played together."
Although Devils Lake led 26-21 at the end of the third quarter, Minot North was in the midst of a 10-play drive and appeared to be gaining momentum. But a fumble on a third-and-7 pass play was recovered by Devils Lake senior Luke Wasness, giving the Firebirds the ball at the Minot North 40.
Nine plays later, Mason Palmer found Will Heilman in the corner of the end zone from 11 yards out. Minot North then drove the length of the field on nine plays, however, and scored on a short run by Evan Berg, making it 33-28 with 4:52 to play.
Devils Lake countered with a 56-yard touchdown run by Exner, with 2:51 remaining, to go up 39-28, but Minot North went 65 yards on nine plays, scored on a 12-yard pass from Brayden Blikre to Christian Deadmon to cut it to 39-34.
The Sentinels' onside kick was unsuccessful, allowing Devils Lake to take possession at the 40. The Firebirds ran three plays, and Palmer's punt put the ball inside the 1-yard line with only five seconds left. Facing 99 yards of Fargodome turf, Minot North ran a play, an incomplete pass, and it appeared the game was over.
But referees put a second back on the clock and Lambrecht and the Firebirds — who withstood Minot North rallies all afternoon — had to endure one more play. When that pass hit the ground, a palpable feeling of relief and jubilation erupted from the Devils Lake sideline and crowd.
"At halftime, the talk was that they weren't going to give up," said Exner. "It feels amazing. That's a good Minot North team and we're in the dome. They weren't going to go down easy."
The game started with a frenzy, as well.
Minot North took a 2-0 lead early in the first quarter, when — after a three-and-out — a snap went over the punter's head into the end zone. What at first was ruled an incomplete pass was later declared a safety.
A highlight came midway into the first quarter. On a third-and-9 pass from his own 21, Devils Lake's Palmer evaded multiple tackles, scrambled toward the sideline and then doubled back toward the middle of the field. He then found Heilman downfield; Heilman brought in the pass, made one defender miss and eased into the end zone for the 79-yard touchdown, making it 6-2.
Later in the first quarter, Exner took a handoff up the middle, made two Minot North tacklers miss and took it 81 yards for a score.
After Exner's touchdown, Minot North fumbled on the kick return, recovered by Rylan Samuelson at the 34. On the first play, Palmer again found Heilman and again Heilman made at least two tacklers miss. And again, he eased into the end zone, putting the Firebirds up 20-2.
Also in the first quarter, Minot made it 20-9 on a 6-yard run by Christian Deadmond. He set up the score with a 52-yard run earlier on the drive.
It was 26-15 at halftime.
Exner's 225 yards came on 26 carries, while Palmer's 217 passing yards came on his 12-of-17 afternoon. He threw four touchdown passes — three to Heilman and one to Max Palmer.
For Minot North, Deadmond had 107 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and Cooper Chick had 85 yards on 15 attempts. Blikre was 13-of-23 for 150 yards and two touchdowns. The Sentinels had three turnovers and were plagued by missed tackles, especially in the first half.
"We turned it over a couple of times in the first half, and that's tough to overcome," said Minot North coach Jacob Holmen. "We didn't tackle very well today and their kid (Exner) ran very well. Credit to him. But our kids never quit and we were in it to the end. They battled hard."
Minot North finishes the season 11-1 — just the second varsity season for the new high school. Devils Lake finishes 10-2, avenging a 26-20 loss earlier this year to the Sentinels.
It's the Firebirds' first state title, but they have been to championship games in the past, falling in 2010, 2009, 2007 and 1989.
Continue reading...
