Both Grand Forks high school football teams face Top 5 matchups on Friday night
Aug. 24—GRAND FORKS — Both Grand Forks high school football teams put on the road miles last week with trips to Williston and Watford City to play season openers.
No. 4 Red River and No. 5 Central stay in the Red River Valley this Friday, but the competition will be cranked up.
The Roughriders host No. 2 Jamestown, the two-time defending state champions, for the first football game on the new turf at Cushman Field. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
Central will visit preseason favorite Fargo North at 7 p.m.
Central enters after a convincing
30-6 win over Watford City
where new quarterback Noah Morkve threw for 135 yards in his debut, while Red River needed a fourth-quarter comeback and a
final-minute rushing touchdown from Pearce Parks to beat Williston
24-20.
Jamestown will be playing its first game of the season. The Blue Jays will have to replace the production of 2022 quarterback Payton Hochhalter, who had a Dakota Bowl record seven touchdowns in a state championship win over Fargo North last year. Jamestown's top running back in the game, Aden Braun, was also a senior.
One of Jamestown's top playmakers from last year is back in wide receiver Nathaniel Walz, who had 129 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the state title game.
Red River coach Vyrn Muir said his team will have to be balanced offensively.
"The last three times we've played (Jamestown), they've shut down the run, and we've tried to throw and haven't been able to get many points," Muir said. "We're going to have to try to run but we can't come in living on that idea. That's the scheme they employ."
Red River had 24 first downs to Williston's seven last Friday but nearly let North Dakota State commit Isiah St. Romain beat them. St. Romain had seven catches for 169 yards and two touchdowns, as well as a long interception return for touchdown.
The Riders gave 24 carries to running back Reed Krogstad, who finished with 123 rushing yards. Muir said he doesn't envision handing off to a single back more than 20 times this week but he knows Red River has backs capable of running behind starting all-state center Lawson Lotysz.
"Lawson cleared the middle," Muir said. "Our running backs weren't touched at times 5, 6 yards past the line. Lawson was moving defensive linemen 4 yards."
North opened the season with a dominant win over West Fargo Horace. The Spartans return experience at the skill positions with quarterback Ethan Welk, running back Peder Haugo (NDSU commit) and wide receiver Jeremiah Sem, a Division I basketball prospect.
"The experience they have is unmatched," Central coach Jake Schauer said. "We need to come out and get a little better. This will tell us more about what we have on the offensive and defensive lines. They played cohesively Week 1. If they're not ready to go ... we'll learn how to handle adversity. North will do some things that'll hit us in the mouth."
