FARGO - If Legacy had any pre-game jitters before its first-ever Dakota Bowl appearance, it didn't show. In fact, the Sabers looked right at home on the big stage. Legacy scored the game's first 20 points and racked up 584 yards of offense en route to the program's first Division AAA championship. The Sabers ran past West Fargo, 41-21 on Nov. 13 at the Fargodome.

Quarterback Weston Kraft had a day to remember, running for 175 yards on 20 carries and five scores. His first score came after the Legacy defense picked off a pass in WF territory. Three more would come in the second quarter.

The Sabers ground game faced little resistence most of the night, thanks to the offensive line which created plenty of running room. Beckham Presley-McKay rushed for 171 yards. Bridger Bloms finished with 77 yards and a score.

The only blemish on Kraft's night was a bit of bad luck. His pass was deflected and fell into the arms of Packer defender Peyton Berg who returned it 86 yards to the end zone midway through the third quarter to cut the Legacy lead to 27-14.

That setback was brief, however. Legacy's ensuing drive lasted just five plays, ending with Kraft's fifth rushing score. West Fargo which put up big numbers in its semfinal win over Fargo Davies, experienced a far more challenging night against the Saber defense. Packer standout Ashton Wigestrand, who ran for over 220 yards in the semifial win, was bottled up. He rushed for just 56 yards on nine carries. WF quarterback Ryan Camarillo did complete 15 passes for 236 yards. Joaquin Valdez had a game-high 118 yards on six catches. However, Legacy didn't allow many pass plays to extend past 10 yards. The lone exception was WF's opening score.

The victory marked the first time since 2014 that a team debuting in the championship was victorious. And the win was the first for a WDA team since 2023 when Minot High completed a perfect season.

Legacy finished 10-2 while West Fargo ended at 8-4.