Posted on by Sykotyk

2022 Week 11 (Fargo)

2022 Week 11 (Fargo)

In Minnesota, the football playoffs have two segments. The latter are the state playoffs. The eight section champions in each class conduct an 8-team, 3-week tournament culminating with state semifinals and finals at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. To get those 8 section champions, they conduct section championships. And in northwestern Minnesota, as many as they can are scheduled for the Fargodome across the border in Fargo, North Dakota.

A few years ago, I found this out at the last minute, but couldn’t attend more than just two of those eight games. I had prior commitments and couldn’t stay longer. However, this year, I planned to be at them all. Nine games over two days.

The games started on Thursday with four games at the Fargodome. And continued Friday with five more. That would leave my Saturday open. However, taking those two days off in Fargo, would make it much harder to get home by Monday like I had planned. So, I figured I’d pass on a Saturday game. Class B (both 9 and 11-man) would have state semifinals, but none immediately around Fargo.

For the games, I was shooting for Magnitude Sports out of Fargo. It was my first time and there were only two real games to focus on for them. DGF and Barnesville. The two nightcaps under the dome.

I got into Fargo on Wednesday night and I wasn’t feel great by Thursday morning. But, I was determined to make a day of it at the Fargodome. I arrived shortly before the first kickoff, and got in through the media entrance by the docks. It’s a quick walk to the northwest corner of the field. And started photographing.

#52 – Fertile-Beltrami v. Blackduck

It was my first time seeing Blackduck. The Drakes are from a small town between Bemidji and International Falls. Toward the North Central co-op team that hail from Northome, Kelliher, and Big Falls/Littlefork. It was the third time seeing Fertile-Beltrami. I had seen them at the Fargodome in 2019, and in the state semifinals last November. They would win easily, 49-14 in the first 9-man game of the day.

By this time, I was feeling down. So, I got started for the next matchup but was relaxed with the updates.

#53 – Kittson County Central v. Goodridge/Grygla-Gatzke

I had seen both of these teams previously. Kittson County Central is a co-op between Kittson Central in Hallock and Lancaster. My favorite co-op name ever, though, belonged to their opponent: Goodridge/Grygla-Gatzke. Goodridge High School is located in Goodridge, Minnesota. While their cohort is a combination of two locales. Grygla is a small community of 180 souls about 20 miles northeast of Goodridge. Gatzke is a small dot on the map, an unincorporated community inside Rollis Twp just northwest of Grygla.

Combined, they are Goodridge/Grygla-Gatzke. The Chargers. Also just called GGG or G/G-G or G-G-G. Depending on who or where it’s written. I saw them back in 2010 at the old Metrodome. Meanwhile, I saw Kittson County Central just last year at US Bank Stadium. KCC would win, 35-20.

I’d take some time between games, with the abundant time alloted as Minnesota is exceptional at scheduling and running games, to the hospitality room. Which basically had bottled water, some cans of pop, and some fun size candy bars. I was really dragging by this point.

#54 – Mahnomen/Waubun v. Red Lake County

This next one featured two new teams for me. Mahnomen and Waubun are located along US59 just 10.6 miles from one another. Red Lake County is also a co-op of two schools: Red Lake Falls and Red Lake County Central. However, not to be confused with Red Lake, which is a different school.

The Red Lake Falls Eagles and Red Lake County Central Mustangs combine to form the Red Lake County Rebels. The two schools are just 25 miles apart. RLC, as their helmets indicate, were no match for Mahnomen/Waubun (Maw-No-Men-Wah-Bin). M/W wore Carolina Panthers inspired uniforms. The Thunderbirds had all black uniforms with silver lids, with white and columbia blue stripes and accents. They’d also win, 32-0 in a going-through-the-motions type of game.

#55 – Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton v. East Grand Forks

In what was probably the best game up to this point, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton and East Grand Forks put on a clinic in exciting, low-scoring play. DGF, as they’re regularly referred to, were also the Rebels and were in all black. They’re located just east of Moorhead, Minnesota. Which is just across the river from Fargo. Meanwhile, East Grand Forks is also just across the river from a North Dakota city, the quite obvious Grand Forks. DGF and EGF were a kismet in abbreviations that probably won’t line up that well again.

Early in the second, DGF would score on a 6 yard run and get the extra point. And that would be it, until there was just 8 seconds left. On 4th and goal from the one, Clyde Anderson of EGF would score on a run. But the two point pass attempt would fall incomplete. In what appeared to be an uncalled pass interference. However, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton would win, 7-6.

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

That night, I felt like crap. And I did not sleep well. I would later find out when I got home why. But, when I woke up on Friday, I just was not having it. I decided I needed to sleep in, take some pain meds, and miss the first game. Being a five-game setup for Friday, I was in no condition to be up and mobile. I had even considered just missing the entire day.

But, I got moving, and stopped at O’Charley’s for a hoagie. They’re not too common, but they do know how to make a fair facsimile of a Philadelphia style hoagie. Especially with the ‘Old School’ including the prerequisite cheese wiz.

Getting over to the stadium, I misjudged just how long that early lunch would take and got into the second game just as kickoff was taking place. However, I was quickly ready to go and going to be a bit more relaxed with photos. Live updates of every score was going to have to be overlooked.

#56 – Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg v. Upsala/Swanville

KMS, as their helmets foretold, were a consolidation of the three communities’ schools. Kerkhoven and Murdock are just 4.2 miles apart along US12 northwest of Willmar. While Sunburg is 15 miles north of Kerkhoven. I had been through Kerkhoven and Murdock before, as I had gone to a WIllmar Stingers baseball game and left town heading northwest along US12 before.

Upsala and Swanville are two small communities between Sauk Centre and Motley. They go by “USA” on their helmets with a red-white-blue motif and the Patriots nickname.

USA would score first, but fail on the conversion. That 6-0 lead would hold up for most of the game. Until Isaac Rudningen would catch a 29 yard TD pass with 9 minutes left. The extra point was good, and KMS would lead, 7-6. The same score as my last game. It was odd that two straight games would end, both 7-6.

#57 – Osakis v. Sauk Centre

This game had probably the best nickname battle of the weekend. And possibly the season. The Osakis Silverstreaks were playing the Sauk Centre Mainstreeters. It was also my first game in a while featuring no co-ops or consolidations.

This was one of those close games, where the better team just slowly wears out the other. Little by little, the close game became a wide margin. As Sauk Centre would win, 27-6.

#58 – Ottertail Central v. Breckenridge

This game would have a co-op. Ottertail Central is a co-op between two schools. Battle Lake High School and Henning High School just east of Fergus Fall. I saw them play back in 2010. Breckenridge is a border town across the river from Wahpeton. Breckenridge is the Cowboys, which seems a bit out of sort for the area. In the game, Breckenridge just slowly ran away with it. Winning comfortable, 34-6.

#59 – Barnesville v. Crookston

And lastly, was the game I was covering, Barnesville Trojans against the Crookston Pirates. It was projected to be a blowout. But it was the big game for Magnitude Sports, so I powered through my lethargy and got it done. Though it was a slow slog of a game. With a surprise turnover and quick field goal by the underdogs. But, Barnesville would just run roughshod over them. Winning, eventually, 56-3.

By that point, I was just wanting the game to end. I was getting behind on tweeting out the scoring updates. But, after the game, I got some sleep and left out heading for home. But I didn’t get home until Monday afternoon. Which brought a whole new adventure. I was planning to drive back to Iowa with my friend the very next day. And that didn’t look possible. But, that’s for next week’s update. Which is also going to be a bit delayed probably.

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

2022 HSF Wk 11 Fargo

SUMMARY

For the weekend, I saw 8 of the 9 possible games. That included 11 new teams. Total cost was $144.56 for the two days.

Next Week

I headed right back out, this time with a friend, to Iowa for a two week trip that included stops at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls and US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN.

2022 Statistics

59 Games
116 Teams
33 Stadiums
12 States

71 New Teams
23 New Stadiums

1,468 different teams
466 different stadiums

1,332 total games

For more, and larger, photos from this weekend, click HERE.

For photos from previous weeks and seasons, visit http://www.flickr.com/sykotyk/sets/

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