Photo courtesy of Larry Stokke
For the sixth straight week, Langdon Area/Munich sits at No. 1 in Division A football.
The Cardinals received 16 out of 18 first-place votes in the polls released by the NDAPSSA on Wednesday. They lead the pack with 88 points. No. 2 Velva-Drake-Anamoose-Garrison trails with 55 points.
There are two undefeated teams left in Division A football, and they happen to be facing off this Friday. LA/M and No. 4 Park River Area, both of Region 2, are each 7-0. Both teams are 5-0 in region play.
Park River received one first-place vote this week, as did No. 3 Killdeer. Park River trails Killdeer by four points in the poll.
Killdeer switched spots with V-D-A-G from last week. The Cowboys were handed their first loss of the season on Friday, a 36-15 defeat to a team from Montana, Malta/Whitewater/Saco/Dodson.
LA/M most recently beat Carrington, 33-7. The Cardinals have allowed just 39 total points in seven games.
Park River won 62-14 against Turtle Mountain last Friday. The Aggies have allowed two touchdowns or fewer in every game.
Park River hosts LA/M this Friday at 6 p.m. By the end of the night, only one undefeated team will remain in Division A.
Over in nine-man football, New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock was ranked No. 1 for the seventh straight week. The Rockets received 13 out of 18 first-place votes and 82 points. No. 2 LaMoure-Litchville/Marion received four first-place votes and 73 points. The last first-place vote went to No. 3 Linton/HMB.
The Rockets beat Nelson County 58-20 last Friday. The 20 points were the second-most they’ve allowed in a game this season. It was a fairly typical first quarter for the Rockets; they led 30-6. But Nelson County outscored them 14-8 in the second quarter.
NR-S/M still went on to shut out Nelson County in the second half. Easton Simon threw for 357 yards, while Jax Demester added 36. Four receivers totaled 79 or more yards each.
It was the 19th straight win for the Rockets, dating back to last year’s state championship season.
The Rockets are 7-0. They’re off this week, with a forfeit win over North Star that will make them 8-0. They’re set to finish their regular season Oct. 17 in Fort Totten against Four Winds.
Nelson County (4-3) needs an upset win over North Border (6-1) to keep its playoff hopes alive this Friday. As it stands right now, the Chargers are the first team out from Region 2. They’re guaranteed at least one more win with a forfeit over North Star next week.
Four Winds (5-2) also needs to beat St. John (2-5) on Friday to keep its playoff hopes in comfortable shape, given that the Indians are due to face NR-S/M in the final week. A loss might mean having to rely on tiebreakers, depending on how the rest of the pack shapes out.
Four Winds won its head-to-head matchup with Nelson County, but lost its head-to-head matchup with North Prairie (5-2). Nelson County fell to both Four Winds and North Prairie.
Nine-man football
- New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock (13) – 82 points (Previous: 1)
- LaMoure-Litchville/Marion (4) – 73 points (Previous: 2)
- Linton/HMB (1) – 58 points (Previous: 3)
- Alexander – 32 points (Previous: 4)
- Divide County – 15 points (Previous: 5)
Received votes: Hankinson, Kidder County
Division A football
- Langdon Area/Munich (16) – 88 points (Previous: 1)
- Velva-Drake-Anamoose-Garrison – 55 points (Previous: 3)
- Killdeer (1) – 48 points (Previous: 2)
- Park River Area (1) – 44 points (Previous: 4)
- Ellendale/Edgeley/Kulm – 29 points (Previous: 5)
Received votes: Bottineau
Nine-man Region 2 standings
- New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock (7-0)
- North Border (6-1)
- Four Winds (5-2)
- North Prairie (5-2)
- Nelson County (4-3)
- Cavalier (3-4)
- St. John (2-5)
- Larimore (1-6)
- Midway/Minto (1-6)
- North Star (0-6)
Division A Region 2 standings
- Langdon Area/Munich (7-0, 5-0)
- T1: Park River Area (7-0, 5-0)
- Grafton (5-2, 4-1)
- Thompson (4-3, 3-2)
- Harvey/Wells County (3-4, 2-3)
- Carrington (2-5, 1-4)
- Rugby (1-6, 0-5)
- Turtle Mountain (0-7, 0-5)
