Grand Forks won the coin toss, elected to defer but was then subjected to a rare display by their host. Running back Mason Lockwood helped set the tone with a 21 yard burst and then the first touchdown of the evening, 97 seconds after kickoff.
The Knights got a good start to their first possession when Sam Strandell broke loose on the ensuing kick return, making it to North's 37. Moments later, in the red zone the ball got punched loose from Jack Simmers grip & Carson Hannestad scooped it up to preserve the touchdown advantage. After a 58 yard run by Peder Haugo, Carson Shultis hauled in the second score of the game on a fourth down play.
Central efforted a response but the ball hit the turf again & wound up with the Blue a second time.
It took all of one play after the turnover for Nathaniel Fritel to catch & run for six more points.
And that was just first six minutes of the game
After a punt gave North the ball back Lockwood was back at it, finishing a 95-yard drive with his second score of the game six seconds into the next quarter.
Central followed up by consuming some clock but were once again stymied just beyond mid-field when an Alex Wegner sack facilitated a turnover on downs.
With time winding down on the half Haugo put the offense on the doorstep to their fourth score & Daniel Boutain was happy to finish the drive to Shultis for the second time.
With less than two minutes left Central could have played it safe but instead tried to keep the comeback possibility alive. But with 14 seconds left North got their third turnover, this time through the air.
In kind, North handed the ball to their bruising back & he showed some college-level skills, busting out for a 60-yard score
which was wiped out by a penalty. But the run was so good that the reality is just a technicality.
Central's opening possession of the half proved no more effective than the previous, finishing as a turnover on downs just beyond the 50. To get the clock running the ball went to Haugo for the hat trick to end North's next chance.
And with that several more of the future players got their chance. The numbers were different but the result was the same, even when North nearly fumbled themselves. It was Carter Kiedrowski that put the final eight on the board.
North 50, GF Central 0
As the two-cylinder engine of the Spartan offense, it's a plurality
Peder Haugo
Mason Lockwood
For all the plays that were executed between kickoff & final horn, seeing the current & future members of the North team assembled on the field pregame was every bit as great!
Click the pic to see the game gallery!
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