NEW ROCKFORD — Eight games and one playoff contest into the season, the Rockets still haven’t experienced a close game.

After a well-deserved bye week, No. 1 New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock (9-0, 4-0) hosted a rematch with North Prairie (7-3, 4-1) on its home grass this Saturday. The last time these teams met, the Rockets recorded a statement 60-14 win back in Game 3 of the regular season.

“We know them pretty well,” Rockets quarterback Easton Simon said. “We kind of knew what they were gonna come with. They probably knew what we were gonna come with. But we were just able to execute.”

In its first playoff game of 2024, NR-S/M left no doubt over whether that result was a fluke. It thrashed North Prairie again, this time by a score of 46-8. It brought the Rockets’ offensive total to 547 points on the season — surpassing the school record of 530 — compared to just 58 points allowed. They passed the threshold before they even reached halftime.

“It’s good to get some of those plays right away,” Rockets head coach Elliott Belquist said of his team, which led 16-0 by the end of the first quarter and 38-0 at the half. “You never know how you’re gonna come out after a long break. Our defense did a great job today. They were stiff up front and didn’t give up anything big.”

Simon threw five touchdown passes, including two each to Kage Walford and Easton Benz. The Rockets’ defense limited North Prairie to fewer than 50 rushing yards in the first half, and didn’t permit any points until a fourth-quarter touchdown with a running clock.

It was a dominant victory in all facets, ultimately moving NR-S/M on to a state quarterfinal game. The Rockets are trying to capture their second ever state title, with their lone championship coming in 2012.

“Our end goal is the state championship,” Simon said. “So we just gotta get one at a time, and we got our first one today. It feels good.”

Running back Carter Engebretson set the tone right away with a 50-yard run on the very first play of the game. It kickstarted a 67-yard touchdown drive, completed with a short pass to Benz in the end zone.

The Rockets scored on both of their first two offensive drives, as Engebretson ran for 14 yards over two plays to get into the end zone. A fourth-and-two conversion by Bradyn Collier kept that drive alive. On both touchdowns, Engebretson ran for the two-point conversion, and NR-S/M built a quick 16-0 lead.

“It was a huge start for him, get that big one right at the start to get us going,” Belquist said of Engebretson. “But they played us man, and put a lot of guys in the box, so we didn’t go to Carter as much today. Defensively, him and Brody [Weisenburger] up front — our seven guys up front, they did a heck of a job.”

Weisenburger had three tackles on North Prairie’s first possession, eventually forcing a punt after a sack by Walford.

The Rockets took just one play to score their third touchdown, as Simon connected with Walford for a 47-yard touchdown pass. The two-point attempt was no good, but it was already 22-0 early in the second quarter.

“I’m just looking, ‘Are they open?’” Simon said. “And then if they are…throw it out there so they can run up under it and go get it, and score TDs.”

Simon had a 19-yard touchdown pass to Walford called back due to illegal formation, and the Rockets turned it over on downs. But Collier recovered a fumble, and Simon was successful on his next try to Walford, connecting with him for a 24-yard touchdown pass.

Engebretson ran for his third two-point conversion of the game. It was those two points that officially brought NR-S/M to 531 total points, passing the school record of 530.

“It’s really cool. It’s special,” Simon said about being a part of this team. “It’s something I know I’ll never forget, and my teammates will never forget. We’ll never forget this team, and hopefully we can continue to add more wins on the season.”

The Cougars started finding some better routes towards the end of the first half, but they still eventually turned it over on downs after a tackle by Weisenburger and an incompletion. With just 44 seconds left before halftime, Simon unleashed a 63-yard touchdown pass to Bennett Meier. Engebretson jogged into the end zone for his fourth two-point conversion, and it was a whopping 38-0 at the half.

“He just steps up in that pocket and delivers a strike,” Belquist said of Simon. “Our receivers had some nice catches on some of those long balls. We haven’t taken many shots this year, so it’s good to see a couple long balls.”

The clock ran for the rest of the game, getting the second half done in efficient fashion. Simon collected his fifth touchdown pass on the Rockets’ first offensive drive of the half, this time connecting with Benz for a 54-yarder. It was 46-0 with about five minutes left in the third quarter.

Both teams mostly coasted the rest of the way. Jax Demester took over for Simon at quarterback in the fourth quarter. North Prairie did finally put some points on the board with around five minutes left in the game, with a 25-yard run followed by a five-yard touchdown pass.

The two-point conversion was successful. It avoided a shutout for the Cougars, but that’s all it did, as the clock ticked down toward a quarterfinal advancement for the Rockets.

They have a bigger test next week, though, back on this same New Rockford field. The No. 2-seeded Rockets will take on the No. 7-seeded Grant Co/Flasher (6-3, 5-0). North Prairie was not among the top eight seeds.

“We can’t overlook anybody,” Simon said. “We’ve gotta continue to do everything each week, the little things, and just come in ready to play whoever it is.”

Added Belquist, “It doesn’t get any easier. It’s gonna be fun now, preparing for someone that we haven’t ever faced.”