AAA state football postseason kicks off

BISMARCK – Fans will put aside their candy bowls and jack-o-laterns to take in some Halloween playoff football this Friday, Oct. 31. It’s the quarterfinal round of Division AAA. Four WDA teams -- Bismarck Century, Bismarck High, Bismarck Legacy and Mandan -- are in action. It’s the first time since 2021 that all four Bismarck-Mandan schools are in the field. Mandan's eight-straight appearances is the longest current streak of the four WDA participants. The last time a WDA team reached the Dakota Bowl was 2023 (Minot High). West Fargo Sheyenne is the defending champion and is East Region's No. 4 seed. EDC champion Fargo Davies is ranked No. 1 and arguably is the favorite heading into the postseason. West Fargo Horace is making its debut in the AAA playoffs. West Fargo is making its seventh-straight postseason appearance.
Here’s a look at this week’s matchups.

(3E) West Fargo (3-6) at (2W) Bismarck High (6-3), Friday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m.
Last meeting: Aug. 29, Bismarck High won 13-12 (OT)
Last Playoff Meeting: 2020, Bismarck High won, 21-20 (quarterfinals)
How they got here: Despite just three wins on the season, West Fargo extended its postseason streak to seven consecutive seasons. The Packers won its final two EDC games, and with a little help from other EDC results, managed to win a tie-break to earn the No. 3 playoff spot. Bismarck High, meanwhile, knew it was a playoff qualifier a few weeks ago and had a chance to earn the West’s No. 1 overall seed, but fell to rival Century in the final regular season game. Both teams have improved since that late-August matchup.

About Bismarck High: The program is making its third consecutive trip to the playoffs, but seeking its first return trip to the Dakota Bowl since 2018 (champions that year). The squad advanced to the semifinals a season ago before falling to eventual champion WF Sheyenne. After a pair of losses to EDC members Fargo Shanley and Fargo Davies in September, the squad has been more consistent on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the team has had success running and passing. However, it’s a run-first unit with 1,962 rushing. The team has a number of capable players who can carry the ball. Senior Deegan Staudinger leads the list with 690 yards on 102 carries and 10 scores. Senior Carter Petron (287 yards), junior Weston Malo (176) and junior Weston Scott (146) all provide options in the backfield. And there are a handful more who could be called upon. Junior quarterback Hayden Bondley has settled into the position. He has thrown for 910 yards on 75 completions. And he’s also been able to be an effective rusher. He has 328 yards on the ground. Three players have seen the bulk of the receptions. Staudinger has 191 yards on 18 catches. Scott with 155 yards on 13 and junior Najeh Boyd with 153 yards on 17 receptions. Defensively, the team has gotten better and more consistent in stopping the big play. It bottled up a good Century team a week ago. Senior Elijah Heupel has a team-leading 89 total tackles. Senior Brennan Greff has 61 and junior Cayden Sather has 51.
About West Fargo: Don’t let the losing record fool you, the Packers are a good football team. In addition to losing in overtime to Bismarck High by just one point, it dropped a one-score game to EDC champion Fargo Davies and fell by a point to Legacy. Perhaps its most impressive effort came last week over rival WF Sheyenne, 28-7. The last time the WF won its opening round game was 2021. It advanced to the Dakota Bowl that fall. Offensively, Aiden Samek has been the workhorse in the backfield. The senior has 869 yards on 136 carries and 10 TDs. Junior Ashton Wigestrand has chipped in with 400 yards rushing. The team has 1900 of its 2,600 total yards on the ground. Quarterback Ryan Camarillo has just 606 yards passing on 44 completions. The junior passers primary target has been Ian Skari. The senior has 21 receptions and 204 yards. Defensively, the team has come around over the past two weeks, allowing just 15 points in two games. Beckett Pfau leads the team with 71 total tackles and four interceptions. Wyatt Knudsen has 69.
Why Bismarck High will win: The Demons are solid in all facets of the game. They can play grind-it-out style or generate explosive plays on offense. The team is no strangers to big games and will be prepared.  
Why West Fargo will win: The squad is arguably playing its best football right now. It’s clear what the Packers want to do on offense and that is run the ball and control time of possession. If they can do that, they can advance.
Key matchup to watch: Can Bismarck High’s defense consistently stop West Fargo’s ground game.

Fries at the bottom of the bag: This will be the 16th playoff meeting (BHS, 9 wins)... In 2014, Bismarck High and West Fargo both played quarterfinal football games on Halloween (BHS def. GF Red River; West Fargo lost vs. Minot)...BHS has outscored its opponents, 113-28, in the opening quarter.

(3W) Bismarck Legacy (6-3) at (2E) West Fargo Horace (7-2), Friday, Oct. 31, 6 p.m.
Last meeting: Sept. 19, WF Horace 14, Legacy, 13
Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first playoff meeting
How they got here: West Fargo Horace finished second in the EDC, ending its season with a dramatic overtime victory over Fargo Shanley. Bismarck Legacy gained a third seed for the playoffs with a home win over Mandan in the regular season finale.
About West Fargo Horace: The Hawks don’t have a lot of playoff experience, but the small sample size they do have has been successful. Since the school entered varsity play in 2022, the program has been to the postseason each of the last three years, culminating with a Division AA title last year. This is the program’s first season in Division AAA and the success has continued with a second place finish in the EDC. WF Horace has a dynamic quarterback in Matthew Dick. The junior has thrown for 1,744 yards on 127 of 202 passing and 16 touchdowns. Senior Ty Geray has 686 yards rushing on 149 carries and nine scores. He is an explosive back capable of big plays. Dillon Otterson has also been a contributor in the backfield with 378 yards on 66 carries. The go-to receiver for the Hawks is Aiden Green. The junior has 762 yards and seven scores. B. Livingston has 508 yards on 27 catches and six scores.
Defensively, Reid Foell has 84 total tackles while Jaxon Narum has 70. Throw out the Hawk’s 53-47 OT win over Shanley last week and the defensive has allowed an average of 14 points per game. Playoff games often come down to which team’s defense shines, and Horace has demonstrated it can keep good offenses in check.

About Bismarck Legacy: The Sabers started the season hot, winning their first three games and earning a No. 1 ranking. The senior-laden team posted wins over EDC champion Fargo Davies and playoff qualifiers West Fargo and WF Sheyenne. Its three losses have all come against playoff qualifiers, including WF Horace which edged Legacy, 14-13 in week four. The program is making its seventh trip to the playoffs, but is still seeking its first playoff win. They have a strong chance to get it this week.
Offensively, the squad has multiple options. Running back Yusuf Jamas has the single-season rushing mark. The senior has over 1,100 yards on the ground in nine games. Senior quarterback Brody Weigel has thrown for over 1,450 yards on 89 of 145 passing and 17 scores. Senior receiver Jack Julson also set a school record in receiving yards. He has 795 yards on 48 receptions and 11 TDs. Senior Bennet Lonn chipped in with 239 receiving yards. The team is averaging 33.5 points per game. Defensively, the team has a bend, but don’t break mentality. Yes, the squad has given up points, but its made key plays and stops to preserve wins. Senior Brayden Lein leads the squad with 61 tackles while fellow senior Brady Wike has 57 and Lonn, 53.

Why Horace will win: The Hawks’ come into the postseason with a lot of confidence. Not only are they a defending state champion (Division AA), but they have proven they can play at the AAA level. Its only two losses have come to EDC champ Fargo Davies and a two-point loss to Division AA power Kindred. 
Why Legacy will win: The Sabers have proven they can play with anyone, demonstrated by its strong resume. As mentioned, three wins have come over EDC playoff teams, including two on the road (WF Sheyenne and West Fargo). And its three losses were games decided in the final quarter. Legacy fell to Horace at home by one point in the closing seconds. It also gave up the game-winning score to BHS in the final moments. It was tied with Century in the fourth quarter. 
Key matchup to watch: The Sabers offense against the WF Horace's defense.

Fries at the bottom of the bag: This will be Horace’s second home playoff game (won in AA quarterfinals last year)…Legacy is 0-6 in the postseason.

(4E) West Fargo Sheyenne (4-5) at (1W) Bismarck Century (7-2), Friday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m.
Last meeting: Sept. 12, Century won, 17-13
Last Playoff Meeting: 2023, WF Sheyenne won, 41-21 (quarterfinals)
How they got here: After an 0-2 start, Century has rattled off seven wins and earning a conference title and a top seed. The Pats have exhibited a stingy defense, which over the course of the win streak has allowed an average of 9.4 points per game. It’s been a win-loss-win-loss trend for the defending state champion Mustangs, However, the squad did enough to clinch a playoff spot for a 11th consecutive year. This is the first season the Mustangs enter the postseason with a sub .500 record.

About Bismarck Century: After missing the postseason in 2024 the Patriots are back and have a great opportunity to return to the Dakota Bowl for the first time since 2022. Defense is where the team has hung its hat. Only twice has Century allowed more than 21 points in a game. Throwout that ugly 34-3 setback to EDC champ Fargo Davies in week two, and those numbers look really good. The unit is holding teams to just 230 total yards of offense. Its pass rush has been a handful for opponents. Senior tackle Darion Bitz has been a big part of the charge, with five sacks. Senior DL Joey Kraljic has contribute four sacks. The Patriots have 18 takeaways and it has been difficult for teams to get a pass game going.
Offensively, nothing really jumps off the stat page. Junior Carter Wylde leads the team with 686 yards on 137 attempts. Senior Tristan Pope has added 514. Senior quarterback Noah Herr, who missed the early part of the season due to injury, worked his way back and completed 666 yards on 47 completions. Kaden Welstad was the signal caller at the start and had 309 yards before Herr returned. Zavion Harildstat has been the featured receiver. The senior has 426 yards on 31 receptions and five scores. His size and speed make him a dangerous weapon. 
The team has averaged 26 points per game but scored just 17 in its win earlier this season against the Mustangs.
About West Fargo Sheyenne: Up until this season the Mustangs have won eight or more games over the previous seven seasons. That stretch included two Dakota Bowl championships, including a season ago. But with new faces filling roles, finding a consistent solid effort has been a challenge in 2025. The team has endured a win-a-game, lose-a-game pattern all season. Defensively, the team has allowed an average of 276 yards per game, including an average of 157 on the ground. LB Zach Bense’s 76 total tackles leads the team. DL Mamadi  has 68. After pitching a shutout over Fargo North earlier in October, the last three opponents have scored 28 points each. But the squad only surrendered 17 to the Patriots earlier this season.
On offense, WFS is at its best when it can move the ball in the air. it has attempted 257 passes. Sophomore quarterback LJ Satrom has thrown for 1,399 yards on 109 completions and 12 TDs. The primary target has been Max Zenker. The junior has 534 yards on 37 receptions and 4 TDs. Junior Ryker Birnbaum has 234 yards. Two other players (E. Orukotan and Kye Schlichting) nearly have 200 yards receiving. Schlichting is the featured runner. The senior has 812 yards on 170 carries. An area where the team has struggled, however, is taking care of the ball. WFS has turned it over 19 times.
Why Century will win: They say defense wins championships and the Pats have a good one. They have athletes who can make plays and force teams into second and third-and-long situations. Offensively, the squad can move the ball on the ground with regularity.
Why Sheyenne will win: The team is still the defending champions, and while new faces have filled some key positions, a number of players on the roster have been in big games before. WFS will be ready for the playoff spotlight.
Key matchup to watch: Sheyenne's pass game against Century’s strong secondary.

Fries at the bottom of the bag: Century has a 4-1 record against the Mustangs in the postseason...WFS’ four regular season wins was the fewest since 2014 (3).

(4W) Mandan (2-7) at (1E) Fargo Davies (8-1), Friday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m.
Last meeting: Nov. 1, 2024, Fargo Davies won, 35-20 (quarterfinals)
Last Playoff Meeting: (same)
How they got here: Fargo Davies rolled to a perfect conference mark (5-0) to earn the EDC’s top seed for the playoffs. The only setback was a loss at Bismarck Legacy in mid-September. The top-ranked Eagles are making their fourth consecutive postseason appearance and were AAA runner-up last in 2024. Mandan, meanwhile, didn’t know its playoff fate until a couple of weeks ago. The Braves needed a come-from-behind road win over Minot High to secure its eighth consecutive postseason appearance. Mandan’s two wins is its fewest since 2016.

About Fargo Davies: The Eagles are on a mission after dropping last year’s Dakota Bowl to EDC rival WF. Sheyenne. The experienced squad has to be considered the favorite to win this year’s Dakota Bowl. Davies is 5-1 against playoff opponents and boasts an offense that runs and runs and runs. The Eagles have 
3,230 yards on the ground averaging 358 per game. Four players have over 500 yards on the ground led by senior Kolten Tesch’s 928 on 93 carries. Fellow seniors Kane Mathiason has 82-714; Ryland Fisher, 87-605; and Xavier Muse, 63-598. Collectively, those four have 37 TDs. It’s not a question of if the Eagles are going to move the ball on the ground, but just how many yards they will amass. It’s been a combination of big plays and methodical drives. That ground game wouldn’t be possible without an impressive group of big, physical blockers up front, including Gus Werremeyer, Brody Iverson, Shane Hunter and Evan Lee. Senior QB Muse has thrown for 300 yards, but that’s just a footnote of how good this offense has been in dominating time of possession. Opponents have been able to move the ball against Davies to the tune of 297 yards per game. It was a big offensive effort by Bismarck Legacy which led to its upset win over the Eagles in September. The Sabers had 523 yards. That was by far the most allowed by Davies this season. Senior LB Wilmot Matadi is the leading tackler with 52.

About Mandan: After several years of exhibiting an explosive passing offense, a more balanced offensive game plan was ushered in this season. The team has 1,503 rushing yards and 1,500 in the air. So yes, that’s balanced. Nunpa Kirkie is the featured ball carrier. The senior has 733 yards on 127 carries and 10 scores. Junior Brandon Baker has shown spurts of speed and has 216 yards on 29 carries. And junior quarterback Cole Carlson has also rushed for 210 yards. Carlson has 101 completions for 1229 yards and 10 TDs. Junior Kale Rinas has also seen some regular play of late and has 271 yards passing and 15 completions. Junior Daniel Wentz has hauled in 46 catches for 686 yards and seven TDs. Five other players have at least one scoring catch. Defensively, the Braves have had their hands full keeping talented teams in check. It’s allowing 28 points per game and 308 yards of total offense. Part of that has been surrendering explosive plays. Another part is difficulty in stopping the run. And that will be put to the ultimate challenge against the Eagles. Senior DB Brody Skalsky leads with 49 total tackles and fellow senior DL Tayton Giggee has 48. 
Why Fargo Davies will win: The Eagles are dominant at the line of scrimmage, and if they can take care of the ball, will be difficult to stop.

Why Mandan will win: The Braves have plenty of playoff experience and will be prepared. The squad can move the ball and keeping it out of the hands of the Eagles will be the recipe for success.

Key matchup to watch: Fargo Davies’ O-line vs. Mandan’s D-line.

Fries at the bottom of the bag: This marks the fifth time the teams have met in the postseason (each has two wins)...Mandan has never reached the Dakota Bowl...Davies has won its last six games.

Photo: Century's Tristan Pope runs away from a Mandan defender