Kittson County Central, Fertile-Beltrami and Mahnomen-Waubun brace for one more outdoor game
Nov. 9—GRAND FORKS — The Minnesota high school football section championships in Northwest Minnesota are played indoors, this season in the Fargodome.
The state semifinals and finals are played indoors, as well, in U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
That leaves one late weekend open to the elements of outdoor football.
With snow and wind expected to cause havoc in the area this weekend, state-bound Kittson County Central (9-man), Fertile-Beltrami (9-man) and Mahnomen-Waubun (Class A) can all expect a wintry setting in the state quarterfinals.
KCC's state quarterfinal against Mountain Iron-Buhl, originally scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. in Moorhead, was once moved ahead to 5 p.m., then later pushed back to Friday at 5 p.m. in an attempt to avoid the worst of the anticipated storm.
"It's a little frustrating," Kittson County Central coach Cory Waling said. "In the back of your mind, you wish there was a better opportunity to showcase what you are as a team, and it's the same the other way around. If the weather turns out as predicted, both teams will probably have to play what they don't consider normal ball.
"A few years ago, we were at Bemidji State playing Cromwell and it was sleeting sideways with winds about 30 miles per hour. It was both teams with 18 guys within 3 yards of the ball for four quarters. It was a war of attrition. But it is what it is, it's the same for everybody."
Although all three area teams are built around run games, strategy changes when you remove at least the threat of a pass.
Mahnomen-Waubun plays Deer River on Friday at 7 p.m. in Brainerd.
"It shouldn't impact our game; we're not too flashy," Mahnomen-Waubun coach John Clark Jr. said. "But if it's 40 mile-per-hour howling winds and 30 degrees ... we're built for weather, but I don't know if we're built for a blizzard."
Fertile-Beltrami also had its state opener delayed. The Falcons now play Ogilvie on Friday at 4 p.m. in Grand Rapids.
KCC has attempted 50 passes this season with Braden Faken throwing for 521 yards on 26-for-47 passing.
The Bearcats have rode the play of Chisum Schmiedeberg, who has 202 carries for 2,002 yards and 28 touchdowns. He's averaging 9.9 yards per carry and 182 yards per game.
Morgan Muir adds 608 rushing yards, while Faken has 309 and Zander Anderson has 177 rushing yards.
Schmiedeberg paces the defense with 102 tackles and two interceptions. Faken has seven interceptions. Kaden Vig has 14.5 sacks and UND commitment Isaac Folland has 81 tackles from his defensive line slot.
Mountain Iron-Buhl (10-0) is in the state tournament for the fourth year in a row. Fertile-Beltrami knocked MI-B out of the postseason in last year's quarterfinals.
MI-B is led by quarterback Asher Zubich, who has thrown for 1,735 yards and ran for 1,361.
"I told our guys to take it in and enjoy the opportunity they've earned," Waling said. "Last year, it was maybe more of a surprise (to make state). This year, there were high expectations. Sometimes, you get wrapped up in the grind and tunnel vision. I'm telling them to enjoy it and play who you are and be you. In all reality, that was the message against Goodridge-Grygla (in the section championship). There's no reason to play outside yourself, it's good enough."
With a 46-14 win over Blackduck in the section title game, the Falcons have scored at least 30 points in every game this season en route to a 10-0 mark.
Against Blackduck, the Falcons' backfield accumulated 409 yards on the ground with Isaiah Wright, Brayden Werpy, Caiden Swenby, Derek Sorenson, Caleb Sather and Jonah Harstad all contributing.
Wright, who missed last season with a knee injury, finished the section championship with 196 yards and three touchdowns.
Fertile-Beltrami's opponent Ogilvie is in the tournament for a second-straight year after losing to Kittson County Central in the quarterfinals last year.
The Lions have won seven straight (all by at least 36 points) after starting their season 0-2 with losses to Cherry and Mountain Iron-Buhl.
Mahnomen-Waubun is led by quarterback Dennis Ashley, who has 1,102 rushing yards and 563 passing yards with 10 touchdowns to two interceptions.
Curtis Mehr adds 446 rushing yards, while Jameson Donner has had 372 and Easton Bevins has had 353.
Tyson McArthur is the team's top pass catcher with 20 grabs for 315 yards and seven touchdowns.
Defensively, Ashley has six interceptions and McArthur has a team-high 34 total tackles.
Deer River is unbeaten this season and won a fifth-straight section title. Senior quarterback Sam Rahier scored three touchdowns in the section title game.
"For us, it's just take care of the football on offense and be sound defensively and know where you should be," Clark said. "They go in different formations and try to get you out of whack."
