AA Quarterfinals feature two WDA teams

BISMARCK – The Class AA playoffs open on Friday, Oct. 27, and two WDA teams will be part of the field. Two-time defending champion Jamestown is the No. 6 seed and heads to G.F. Red River. Dickinson is the No. 4 seed and will host playoff newcomer and No. 5 West Fargo Horace. Wins will mean a trip to the semifinals against likely stiffer competition. The other two quarterfinals have unbeaten and top seed Fargo North facing Valley City. No. 2 Fargo South is at home vs. No. 7 G.F. Central. Seeding is based on the Quality Results Formula (QRF) implemented by the NDHSAA.

Friday, Oct. 27: (5) West Fargo Horace at (4) Dickinson, 7 p.m., DSU Biesiot Activities Center, Dickinson

Last meeting: Aug. 25: Dickinson def. WF Horace, 28-6

Last playoff meeting: None

About West Fargo Horace: It’s been a banner year for the Hawks, which have reached the postseason in just their second season of varsity play. The team, which did not win a game a season ago, posted five in 2023. Its biggest came a couple weeks ago on the road at two-time defending champion Jamestown. That helped vault them into the playoff picture.

Offensively, the team has averaged 290 yards of offense per game. Much of that has come on the ground. Dylan Johnson has been the featured back. The senior has 603 yards on 135 carries and seven touchdowns. Sophomore Ty Geray has chipped win with 492 yards on 77 carries. Ball control is what the Hawks want to accomplish. However, quarterback Taylor Stenonwicz has been more than capable to air it out. The junior is 69-138 for 759 yards. Senior Gavin Olson has been the top receiver with 261 yards on 27 receptions. 

The Hawks’ defense has kept them in many games and will need a good start against the Midgets. A low-scoring game is what WFH prefers and the team has been in several of them.

Playoff experience has to start somewhere and it’s this season for the Hawks. And despite this being the program’s first postseason game, the squad has a real shot to advance if it plays well.

About Dickinson: The overhaul of football classifications three years ago has been good for several football programs, and the Midgets are one of them. Dickinson is in the postseason for a third-straight year and will host its first playoff game since 2007 (Class A play-in game vs. Jamestown). The six regular season victories are the program’s most since 2015.

Defense is a big reason the Midgets are playing football in late October. It has pitched two shutouts and held another three teams to just one score. Through nine games, the unit has allowed 13 points per game. Throw out the 35-7 loss to Class AAA playoff qualifier Mandan, and that number is even better. The team is especially strong out of the gate where it’s allowed an average of just three points in the opening quarter.

The reason for the success in large part has been shutting down the pass game. Dickinson has allowed just 945 yards and has 14 interceptions. Six of those coming from Dylan Glasser. The sophomore returned four of them for scores. Senior Madox Tolman has nabbed three and also has a pick six. The team has allowed 1444 yards of rushing. Players up front which have made an impact include Kaeden Krieg, Dylan Smith, Ethan Halverson, Tyson Schneider and Travon Littlefield.

The squad’s offensive stats don’t jump off the page, but it’s been solid. Dickinson averages 260 yards a game and most coming on the ground. Senior Colin Tschetter has over 500 yards. Junior Braden Meschke has chipped in with over 300 yards. The players helping to create the running lanes include Brayden Barnhart, Reddik Hall along with the aforementioned Krieg, Smith, Schneider, Littlefield and Halverson. Senior quarterback Stephen Zawodny has thrown for just under 1,000 yards. Kaeden Krieg has been the go-to receiver. The senior has 500 yards and seven scores. 

Dickinson has scored first in seven of nine games, including the season-opening win over Horace. In that contest, the Midgets jumped out to a 20-0 lead.

The squad is a veteran group which has been in high-pressure games over the past three seasons. Despite its earlier win over Horace, the group is well aware nothing but a strong performance is needed to reach the semifinals.

Fries at the bottom of the bag: Three of WF Horace’s games were decided by a single point (Win vs Devils Lake; Loss vs Valley City; Win vs. Jamestown)… The last time Dickinson defeated a team twice in a season was Minot High in 1997 en route to a Dakota Bowl title vs. BHS…The last time Dickinson finished with a winning record was 2016 (5-4).

Friday, Oct. 27: (6) Jamestown (5-4) at (3) Grand Forks Red River (7-2), 6 p.m., Cushman Field, Grand Forks

Last meeting: Aug. 25: G.F. Red River def. Jamestown, 33-28

Last playoff meeting: 2022 (AA Semifinals); Jamestown def. G.F. Red River, 27-13

About Jamestown: The two-time defending Class AA champion’s quest for another title will require a different path this season. The Blue Jays which enjoyed home-field advantage in the quarterfinals and semifinals the past two postseasons will need to show it can win on the road. As the No. 6 seed, the Blue Jays will travel to No. 3 G.F. Red River, and all likelihood, would have another road game in the semifinals, if the squad can get past the Roughriders.

After an opening loss to G.F. Red River, Jamestown rattled up four-straight wins, but have dropped three of its final four games. Perhaps the telling stat is that of its five wins, just two have come against playoff teams (No. 7 G.F. Central and No. 8 Valley City). However, the squad has been in some close battles against good competition. It lost one-score games to Red River, (No. 4) Dickinson and (No. 5) WF Horace. Putting together a complete four-quarter performance is needed at this time of the year.

Offensively, Jamestown has been dynamic, averaging 35 points per game and 323 yards of offense. Balance is the word that comes to mind when describing the Blue Jays offense. They have rushed for 1,472 yards and passed for 1,440. That has made it difficult for opposing defenses to game plan and is a big reason why it has moved the ball with regularity. Junior quarterback Ryan Kallenbach is 99 for 177 for 1440 yards and 19 scores. His main target has been junior Nate Walz. He has 49 catches for 723 yards and 13 TDs. Senior Tyson Jorissen has added 261 yards and 19 catches and sophomore Caleb Schiele has 186 yards on 16 receptions. The run game is led by Jorissen, who has 422 yards on 74 carries. Junior Kelan Harstad (88-391 yards) and senior Sam Mayfair (72-336) have also been workhorses. Collectively, the trio has 15 scores. Kallenbach has also rushed for 146 yards and four TDs. A big part of the success has been the play of the line. Seniors Bo Nelson, Jack VanBerkom, Colin Conway, Lucas Mimong, Conner Ede, Gage Freberg, Malakai Robinson and junior Vaughn Romsdal have been solid.

Defensively, the squad has held teams to an average of 262 yards of offense per game. Where teams have had success against the Blue Jays is the run game (161 yards per game). Twice have teams produced over 400 yards of offense in a game. One came last week against undefeated and top seed Fargo North. The other was in game one vs. the Roughriders. In that contest, RR had 281 yards passing, but since then, the ’Jays have been much better in shutting down passing offenses. 

While Jamestown may have turned in a so-so regular season, don’t think for a minute this squad isn’t capable of continuing its playoff success. The team has been in several big games over the last two years and plenty of players contributed in those games.

About Grand Fork Red River: Since joining the Class AA ranks three seasons ago, the Roughriders have reached the playoffs each season, including a trip to the semifinals. And turned in back-to-back winning seasons. What’s missing on that resume is a trip to the Dakota Bowl. G.F. Red River is hopeful that can be accomplished this year. 

The squad won its first four games, but hit a speed bump in the middle of the year where it dropped three in a row. Those losses came against rival G.F. Central; Class AAA perennial power WF Sheyenne and Class AA unbeaten Fargo North. Red River picked up wins in its last two games. Perhaps impressive was holding WF Horace and Dickinson to just seven points each.

Red River’s offense averages 332 yards per game and is a good balance of run (157) and pass (175). Quarterback Pearce Parks is a good one. The junior has 110 completions for 1429 yards. He also leads the squad in rushing with 402 yards on 98 carries and five scores. That pass and run threat make him difficult to contain. The Roughriders top receiver is senior Hayden Hong, who has 400 yards on 24 receptions. Senior Zach Oehlke has 348 yards on 23 catches and junior Cameron Klefstad had 329 yards on 33 catches so the squad has options in the pass games. In addition to Parks, the backfield has junior Thomas Kraft who has 396 yards rushing. Add it all up, and its evident the team can move the ball and score.

Defensively, Red River, has allowed 250 yards of offense and the unit has been effective in containing both pass and run-orientated offenses. Junior linebacker Ray Dusek leads the squad in tackles. 

Jamestown has ended Red River’s season in each of the past two seasons. But both those games came in the Buffalo City. The Roughriders will be at the friendly confines of Cushman Field. As usual, playoff football comes down to the little things. The team which can tackle well, avoid turnovers and not allow big plays stand a chance to move on.

Fries at the bottom of the bag: Jamestown is bidding to be the first Class AA/A team to reach the Dakota Bowl three years in a row since 2018 (St. Mary’s)…Red River last reached the semifinals in back-to-back seasons was 1987-88…Jamestown’s last playoff loss came in 2020 when it had to forfeit to WF Sheyenne due to COVID.

Photo: Jamestown quarterback Ryan Kallenbach eludes TMCHS' defenders.