Minot High meets Shanley in Dakota Bowl

BISMARCK -- Minot High has one football state title since the NDHSAA began sponsoring the playoffs in 1975. That championship came in November of 1980 against….wait for it…Fargo Shanley. Perhaps that is a good omen as the teams meet in the 31^st Dakota Bowl this Friday, Nov. 10. 

Since that 30-7 win over Shanley, the Magicians have reached the finals seven other times only to fall.

It’s been quite a run for Minot High (10-1) this season. Five victories before suffering a defeat on the road to West Fargo Sheyenne. The Magicians got back on track following the Sept. 29 defeat and eventually avenged that loss a week ago with a come-from-behind road victory over the Mustangs in the semifinals. The formula for success for the Magi has been a versatile offense and shut-down defense. 

The rich tradition of the Deacons (11-0) program is well known. Multiple state championships in both Class AAA and AA over the past five decades, including last season. Shanley has won its last 15 games and has not scored fewer than 31 points in any of them. The Deacons' up-tempo style of offense been difficult to slow down. Here’s a few more news and notes regarding this championship match up.

(3) Minot High vs. (1) Fargo Shanley, 6:40 p.m., Fargodome (TV: ABC Statewide)

Last meeting: 2022 AAA Quarterfinals: Fargo Shanley def. Minot High, 42-14

Last playoff meeting: 2022 AAA Quarterfinals: Shanley def. Minot, 42-14

How they got here: Minot High defeated WDA rival (6) Mandan, 23-14 in the quarterfinals and (2) West Fargo Sheyenne, 47-30, in the semifinals. Fargo Shanley defeated (8) West Fargo, 50-14, in the quarterfinals and (5) Fargo Davies, 31-8, in the semifinals.

About Minot High: A trip to the Dakota Bowl looked very much in doubt early in the third quarter of the semifinal game vs. WF Sheyenne. The Mustangs scored to a make it a 24-7 advantage. But the Magicians weren’t going to go quietly in the night. Instead, the squad found another level of play and scored 40 points over in the second half and the defense slammed the door for an impressive 47-30 victory. The reward was a trip to the Dakota Bowl for the first time since 2017 and a matchup with unbeaten and No. 1 Fargo Shanley.

It's been highlighted before but perhaps the strength of the squad has been the defense. Through 11 games, Minot High has allowed an average of 10 points. Physical linemen, explosive linebackers and quick and athletic defensive backs make this a hard unit to move the ball on. Some of the standouts include Michael George, LB; Derrick Arivett, DL; Griffen Broderick, LB; Anthony Brown, DB; Tyson Ruzicka, DB; Ty Conklin, DB; Dylan Huber, DL; DeJarius Jones, DL. The squad has generated over 30 sacks, 50 tackles for loss and two-dozen turnovers. Five led to defensive scores.

The offense has been balanced. Minot had produced nearly 4,000 yards of offense (3,940). A majority of it, 2,600, coming on the ground. Ruzicka has rushed for 1,491 yards. Broderick, a junior, is quite a handful to tackle and is also an explosive ball carrier with over 612 yards on the ground. Minot has 1340 yards passing and senior quarterback Lucas Beeter has thrown for 1258 of those yards on 89 completions. Senior Logan Conklin has over 500 yards receiving while junior Kaden Kraft has over 350 yards receiving. And Ruzicka is also a passing target coming out of the backfield. Minot High enjoyed success running the ball vs. the Mustangs, and more importantly, it meant ball control. It will want to do the same against Shanley to keep its high-powered offense on the sidelines.

Why they will win: They are due. Minot High has lost its last seven state title appearances, but this year’s team has all the pieces in place to win a state championship. A stout defense and several playmakers on offense. And perhaps the big come-from-behind semifinal victory was just what was needed to cement the team’s confidence that it can play at a high level in the biggest of moments.

What may trip them up: The first half in the both playoff games have not been masterpieces for the Magicians. In fact, the Magi trailed to both Mandan and WF Sheyenne at halftime. Turnovers and big plays allowed were reasons for the deficit. Against a high-powered scoring machine like Shanley, the Magi can’t afford to play catch-up.

About Fargo Shanley: The Deacons express keeps rolling. They led 50-0 over West Fargo in the quarterfinal before the Packers scored. They jumped out to a 24-0 lead against Fargo Davies in the semifinals before the Eagles found the end zone. The defending champions are seeking its seventh perfect season since 1975.

The squad has rarely trailed in any contests this season and that’s a credit to starting fast. No offense has produced more points and yards. The team is averaging a gaudy 48.4 points per game. It’s scored 50 or more in a game five times. It has generated 5,439 yards of total offense. A big chunk, 3892 yards, coming through the air. The ground game has produced 1547 yards. Senior quarterback Landon Meier has thrown for 3,254 yards on 225 completions and 41 touchdowns. Senior am Ovsak had 1,400 receiving yards on 92 receptions and 21 scores. Senior Jordan Leininger has 1145 receiving yards on 67 receptions and 13 scores. Five other players have 100 yards receiving. Meier’s 819 yards on the ground is tops on the team and 17 scores. That dual threat of passing and running make him the centerpiece of the offense. Senior Isaac Perkerwicz has rushed for 237 yards. The depth at the skilled positions and a big and athletic offensive line make the team unstoppable at times. Some of those players up front include Cam Ahlers, Isaac Butler, Carter Michell and Luke Rogen. Add the fact the team likes to play fast, often not huddling after a play, and it presents all sorts of challenges for opposing defenses to get the right personnel on the field. 

A look the Shanley’s scores show teams can put up points, but don’t look to deep into the numbers. Often those points allowed have come late in games with reserves in the lineup. The Deacons have allowed just 22 points in their playoff victories. Defensively, the team has surrendered 3,180 total yards with 1,681 coming in the air and 1,499 on the ground. Again, many of those yards came after the outcome was assured and young players were getting their opportunities against first-string offenses.

Why they will win: Some programs just rise to the occasion. Shanley is such a program. The team has won 10 state titles, including a 5-1 record in AAA championship games. The Deacons are the defending champion and return several players who contributed to last year’s title.

What may trip them up: A stout defense. Shanley has not encountered a defense like Minot High this season. A unit that is physical, athletic and has playmakers who can force turnovers and match up well against skilled players. The Deacons have not been tested for four quarters very often. It likely will be vs the Magi. 

Fries at the bottom of the bag: This marks the 31^st Dakota Bowl…WDAY (ABC statewide affiliates) will televise the game…The all-time series is knotted at 6 apiece…Since the NDHSAA-sponsored playoffs began in 1975, Minot High is 35-33 in the postseason while Shanley is 25-18 (AAA games only).

Photo: Jon Jablonski (Minot High's Logan Conklin tackling Bismarck High's Preston Lemar)