The Firebirds are rolling, continuing to match last season’s progression.
Then-No. 4 Devils Lake (4-1, 1-0) won its region opener against Jamestown (1-4, 0-1) on Friday at Charlotte and Gordon Hansen Stadium, 26-18. It was the fourth straight win for the Firebirds after losing to No. 1 Kindred in their season opener.
Here were some of the keys to victory.
Big defensive plays
Devils Lake had several major defensive plays throughout the night to hold Jamestown to just two points — from a holding call in the end zone — in the first three quarters.
Billy Enget made three tackles on the opening drive, including a tackle for loss that set up an Easton Encinas interception a play later. The Blue Jays had driven the ball inside the Devils Lake 10-yard line before Encinas snatched it away.
On Jamestown’s second possession, Will Heilman and Taylor Longie combined for a TFL to set up a second-and-12. Two plays later, Encinas and Longie led a 10-yard sack that forced the Blue Jays to punt.
Aiden Stiven also came up with a sack in the second half, leading to an eventual turnover on downs with Devils Lake up 19-2.
Firebirds snatch three interceptions in first half
Devils Lake grabbed its third pick of the game right before halftime.
The Firebirds couldn’t make anything happen after Encinas’s interception, the first pick of the night. But on fourth down, towards the end of the first quarter, Rylan Samuelson grabbed an interception to get the ball back in Devils Lake’s hands. Samuelson’s pick led to the Firebirds’ first touchdown of the game, as Egan Laite scored on a two-yard run to cap a 70-yard drive.
Samuelson also snatched one in the end zone in the final minute of the first half. The Blue Jays had been down to the Devils Lake 12. After Samuelson ended their scoring hopes, Devils Lake went into halftime leading 13-2.
Encinas has strong overall game
Encinas did a lot beyond his interception to lead the Firebirds to a win.
Along with racking up several tackles on defense, Encinas ran for 127 yards unofficially over 31 carries. His role on offense shifted to the spotlight once Laite went down with an injury in the second quarter. Laite had 16 carries for 133 yards unofficially before he went out.
After Laite’s abrupt injury, which occurred mid-drive, Encinas had a pair of one-yard runs to score Devils Lake’s second touchdown. Encinas then tallied 28 carries for 115 yards unofficially in the second half, scoring two more touchdowns on a five- and one-yard run.
Encinas took over as the kicker for this game, too. He missed his second extra-point try, and a bad snap led to a non-conversion on his third attempt. Encinas kicked successfully after the first and last touchdowns Devils Lake scored.
Laite is not expected back on Friday, and his status going forward is up in the air. So Encinas’s sustained production will be key.
Gregory takes advantage of sparse passing opportunities
Devils Lake continued a theme of not passing particularly often, but picking its spots well when it does pass.
Case in point: Talan Gregory on Friday.
Gregory played the whole game at quarterback, rather than splitting duties with Ben Brodina. He didn’t pass the ball until the second quarter, but it was a five-yard completion to Heilman as part of a 72-yard touchdown drive.
Gregory passed it three more times on the opening drive of the second half. All three were completions to Samuelson, including an 18-yarder and a 20-yarder. The deep passes helped complement the Encinas-heavy run game, as the Firebirds drove the ball 80 yards for their third touchdown.
They continued to lean on Encinas the rest of the way. Gregory completed two more passes to Samuelson — one of which was negated by a chop block on Heilman, while the other preceded offsetting penalties.
Still, Samuelson’s big receptions early in the second half proved key in the end.
Devils Lake executes fake punt
The game got a little hairy in the fourth quarter as Jamestown finally found the end zone — twice.
Working with a 19-10 lead, Devils Lake appeared to go three and out. Encinas’s third consecutive carry came two yards short, at the 23-yard line, and the Firebirds brought out their punt team for fourth down.
But Heilman, instead of kicking it, held onto the ball and ran it around towards the right sideline. He gained 13 yards, more than enough for a first down to keep the drive alive.
The remainder of drive got ugly, with various penalties assessed to both teams, but it ended with seven consecutive Encinas carries — capped by a one-yard run into the end zone.
Jamestown penalties sure helped
The 10th Blue Jay penalty of the night was perhaps the most costly.
On the aforementioned drive that was extended by the fake punt, Devils Lake appeared to have fourth and goal from the four-yard line after a three-yard gain on the previous play. But Jamestown was hit with a personal foul, moving the ball to the two and, more importantly, granting Devils Lake a first down.
Altogether, the Firebirds were gifted around 80 yards purely from Jamestown penalties on Friday.
Another key penalty occurred late in the first half, when Jamestown appeared to score a 25-yard touchdown on a pass that Heilman couldn’t quite swat away from Edison Walters. The touchdown was wiped off the board due to offensive pass interference.
That drive ended up resulting in Samuelson’s second interception.
Up next
Devils Lake hosts Bismarck St. Mary’s (3-2, 1-0) on Friday at 7 p.m.