On the sports hierarchy, championships sit atop everything. The list, starting at #2, gets murky really quickly! For me, rivalry games hold down the second spot very well, especially when they come in post-season play. I'd gladly get into a discussion about it with you if you disagree but for now, it's time to talk about a first-time occurrence of that sort. Sheyenne won the toss and decided to wait for the second half. So the team in white started with the ball and managed to make some plays on the first drive, culminating in a deep pass that was somehow ruled incomplete, though none of the images captured would support that. It was a big break for Sheyenne and ultimately lead to the first punt of the night.
It only took a few plays before West Fargo had the ball back after a fumble but then they were pressured into a turnover-on-downs.
Sheyenne didn't waste their second opportunity. A long run by Barika Kpeenu flipped the field and was the catalytic play of the drive that ended with six points on the board after a dive into the endzone by Coby Angeles.
West Fargo possessed the ball into the second quarter and put the Mustangs at the three yard-line. Typically those would be considered wins but the ball's spot was exactly what Jeremy Newton's team needed. 97 yards and about 10 minutes of game time later and Sheyenne had it as a 14-0 game, capped by another short touchdown run, this time in the hands of Zach Rodgers. With under a minute and half remaining to the break, the white team managed the hurry-up offense pretty well. Well, until the home team stopped it. First with a pick-six by Matt Wegner to leave only 33 seconds on the clock and then another interception, this time by Lance Oster, in the endzone with no time remaining.
With cold of November beginning to settle in, the first two possessions of the second half went nowhere but as with the first time, on their second chance Sheyenne hit paydirt. They capped the scoring for the evening with a 25ish-yard shot to Tyler Terhark & he sauntered the rest of the way into the endzone. After that it was punts and turnovers-on-down the rest of the way. Terhark did make one more big play in the fourth quarter, another interception but he wasn't able to run it all the way back the West Fargo defense prevented another touchdown. It wasn't the game I was expecting but as I've thought about the game, it makes sense that it would be that lopsided since Bismarck Century is looking to go undefeated and make up for a loss in the title game last November. So it's going to take a team that can win that handily in such a high leverage and high emotion game to potentially spoil the Patriots party.
Final Score
Sheyenne 27, West Fargo 0
Players of the Game
There are a host of deserving players from this one. Any of the touchdown scorers and big playmakers could get it without any qualms. I think the players of this game are the offensive & defensive lines. Often overlooked and underappreciated but without their impacts it may have been the one-score game that I thought it would be, with the other team moving on.
Photo of the Game
For the full game-gallery click the pic!
Comments