FARGO, N.D. — The goal of a state football championship came up 8.5 seconds and one yard short as Fargo Shanley ended Devils Lake’s championship hopes with a 31-30 overtime win Saturday at the Fargodome to claim the Class AA football championship.
It was the first overtime game in the 17-year history of the Dakota Bowl and gave the Deacons their first championship since 1983. It was also the second time in three years the Firebirds came up short in the state title game — both setbacks coming to a Fargo school.
“It was a great game,” Devils Lake coach Jay Schneider said. “Our players busted their butts. It was a tremendous game ... (Shanley) just got one more stop than we did.”
Ben Wolf was corralled short of the end zone by a throng of Shanley defenders after Schneider elected to go for the two-point conversion instead of forcing a second overtime session. It was a decision he had made even before Devils Lake quarterback Beau Eriksson connected with Brandon Myhre for a six-yard pass that Myhre, a senior, caught after being deflected by a Shanley defender in the end zone that brought the Firebirds to within 31-30.
“We hadn’t been able to get the (defensive) stops we had been needing and we were scrambling defensively,” said Schneider of his decision. “I thought we would go for the big finish.”
The Deacons never led in the game until quarterback Myles Montplaisir ran behind center from three yards out on third down on the first possession of overtime.
Shanley had forced the extra session when Montplaisir connected on a 14-yard scoring pass with just 8.5 seconds remaining in overtime to wipe out a 24-17 Devils Lake advantage and offset a brilliant drive by the Firebirds.
Eriksson hooked up with Tyler Mertens for a 44-yard diving completion deep into Deacon territory and Wolf busted for 26 yards just before capping the drive with a one-yard burst to give the Firebirds the lead with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
Shanley’s best chance to take a lead before the eventual game-winner was turned away in the second period when Brock Davidson picked off a pass in the corner of the end zone with 21.5 seconds left in the half.
Wolf finished the game with 130 yards on 25 carries, while Eriksson had a brilliant afternoon by completing seven of 11 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown for the Firebirds. Mertens was on the receiving end of that scoring toss in the first period when he out-leaped a Shanley defender for a 15-yard scoring reception. He finished with 117 yards on just four catches for the Firebirds.
Eriksson scored the other touchdown for Devils Lake when he plunged in from one yard out in the fourth period.
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FARGO, N.D. — The goal of a state football championship came up 8.5 seconds and one yard short as Fargo Shanley ended Devils Lake’s championship hopes with a 31-30 overtime win Saturday at the Fargodome to claim the Class AA football championship.
It was the first overtime game in the 17-year history of the Dakota Bowl and gave the Deacons their first championship since 1983. It was also the second time in three years the Firebirds came up short in the state title game — both setbacks coming to a Fargo school.
“It was a great game,” Devils Lake coach Jay Schneider said. “Our players busted their butts. It was a tremendous game ... (Shanley) just got one more stop than we did.”
Ben Wolf was corralled short of the end zone by a throng of Shanley defenders after Schneider elected to go for the two-point conversion instead of forcing a second overtime session. It was a decision he had made even before Devils Lake quarterback Beau Eriksson connected with Brandon Myhre for a six-yard pass that Myhre, a senior, caught after being deflected by a Shanley defender in the end zone that brought the Firebirds to within 31-30.
“We hadn’t been able to get the (defensive) stops we had been needing and we were scrambling defensively,” said Schneider of his decision. “I thought we would go for the big finish.”
The Deacons never led in the game until quarterback Myles Montplaisir ran behind center from three yards out on third down on the first possession of overtime.
Shanley had forced the extra session when Montplaisir connected on a 14-yard scoring pass with just 8.5 seconds remaining in overtime to wipe out a 24-17 Devils Lake advantage and offset a brilliant drive by the Firebirds.
Eriksson hooked up with Tyler Mertens for a 44-yard diving completion deep into Deacon territory and Wolf busted for 26 yards just before capping the drive with a one-yard burst to give the Firebirds the lead with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
Shanley’s best chance to take a lead before the eventual game-winner was turned away in the second period when Brock Davidson picked off a pass in the corner of the end zone with 21.5 seconds left in the half.
Wolf finished the game with 130 yards on 25 carries, while Eriksson had a brilliant afternoon by completing seven of 11 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown for the Firebirds. Mertens was on the receiving end of that scoring toss in the first period when he out-leaped a Shanley defender for a 15-yard scoring reception. He finished with 117 yards on just four catches for the Firebirds.
Eriksson scored the other touchdown for Devils Lake when he plunged in from one yard out in the fourth period.
