Killdeer versus Trinity takes spotlight of WDA prep football action
Sep. 14—SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA — As the number-5 Class AA Dickinson High School Midgets (3-0) and the third-ranked Class A, Region 4 Trinity Titans (4-0) take to the field this Friday, both are seeing the fruits of their labor thus far, but recognizing the challenges they face from other quality teams in the Western Dakota Association.
Both Dickinson squads are heading into potentially difficult games this week and both are on the road, which compounds matters some for the Titans and the Midgets, as DHS faces the 3-0 Hi-Liners in Valley City — who are coming off a 35-26 nailbiter over Devils Lake — while Trinity is heading straight into the line-of-fire of the Killdeer Cowboys, who are 3-1 on the season and coming off a huge, 40-7, Region 4 win over Bowman County last week.
"I think that every week is a test in its own way," THS head coach John Odermann said. "Killdeer has been playing really well, and I think they're doing some good things on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball."
He added," They're kind of in the similar situation as we are, and that's they have some kids who have gotten healthy over the last couple of weeks — like we have — and that adds some additional elements."
But that's not all the fun that awaits WDA fans on Sept. 15, with Bowman County (3-1) traveling to play a tough Shiloh Christian team after the undefeated Skyhawks (4-0) upended Heart River last week, 56-16. The action in Class A Region 4 doesn't stop there with the 1-3 Heart River Cougars playing host to Hazen, who are winless on the 2023 season at 0-4 and coming off a demoralizing 20-0 shutout at home to Southern McLean on Sept. 8.
In the world of 9-man football, the scores can change faster than the mind can calculate, but the teams separating themselves in Region 4 are both on the schedule for area teams this Friday. The Grant Co./Flasher "Storm" will have to beef up to face the red-hot 4-0 New Salem-Almont Holsteins this week, but the "Storm" is coming off a narrow, 34-30 win over Linton last week and ready to weather the challenge. Meanwhile, South Border — also at 4-0 atop the Region 4 landscape — will host the Richardton-Taylor-Hebron Raiders, who stand at a polar-opposite 0-4.
Hettinger County (1-3) are coming off a 55-18 trampling, courtesy of the South Border Mustangs last week, and are on the road to Linton/HMB S-Z (3-1). Last on the calendar of 9-man Region 4 is Beach, who have been tenacious in adversity and also are winless at 0-4, but they are on the road to the 1-3 Hettinger-Scranton Nighthawks in what will be a crucial game at this near midpoint of the season.
Other WDA matchups will include: Minot @ Bismarck Century, Mandan @ Williston, Bismarck St. Mary's @ Fargo North, Jamestown @ Watford City, Bismarck @ Bismarck Legacy and Southern McLean @ Beulah.
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