John B. Crane
Devils Lake Journal
DEVILS LAKE – The end of the regular season is near, and that means playoff action is right around the corner for the 9B- Region 4 side of the high school football side of the coin.
Four Winds vs. New Rockford-Sheyenne Football (9/8/22)
With the end of the 9-man regular season scheduled for Oct. 8 and the start of the 2022 NDHSAA 9B Football State Playoffs scheduled to begin one week later (Oct. 15), there is much to pack between now and then.
On the surface, the 9B – Region 4 field might already be set in stone. Sure, the North Prairie Cougars have certainly made noise with their undefeated six-game stretch to begin the season. But what else stands out among other fellow powers within the region?
Here are three storylines to watch over the final stretch of the football season:
- Four Winds – where do they stack up during the stretch?
A somewhat up-and-down first month to the Indians’ campaign has since stabilized. Heading into Sept. 30 action, the Indians (4-2, 1-1) have won each of their last two matchups by a combined score of 124-26 (74-20 @ Midway/Minto and 50-6 @ Benson County).
Four Winds vs. New Rockford-Sheyenne Football (9/8/22)
The kicker, however, comes in their final two opponents. The Indians will host a resurgent North Star that has since regained footing after the return of Dane Hagler and the steady presence of Garrett Westlind (more on the pair below). Capping off their season with a road date against North Prairie on Oct. 7 will undoubtedly be a tough bout. Still, if the Keja combination of quarterback Kashton Keja Jr. and running back Kelson Keja can help dictate the pace, the Indians can make it interesting. Whatever the case, the Indians will need to score to win. As of late, they have. But can they continue?
- Dane Hagler and Garrett Westlind – can the duo ignite some magic for North Star?
A shoulder injury earlier in the season might have hampered Hagler. But it didn’t stop the junior signal-caller from returning to the field on Sept. 23 against New Rockford-Sheyenne after a two+ game absence. In what amounted to a 56-26 win, Hagler finished the contest with 133 passing yards and three passing touchdowns on seven completions. Rushing for 60 yards and two touchdowns only added to the spectacle. Westlind, meanwhile, found success on the ground as well – the junior rushed for 166 yards (21 attempts) and two touchdowns to go along with his 68 receiving yards and receiving touchdown.
North Star vs. Nelson County Football 9/2/22
“So, when those two are clicking on offense, their timing is down, they’re throwing and catching and handing the ball off and those kinds of things, it’s really tough to stop for opposing defenses when those two are clicking,” North Star head coach Daniel Grande said.
It’s simple calculus – when the Hagler and Westlind play on the field together, the Bearcats (3-3, 1-1) score. And they score a lot. When the duo plays on the field together (three games), the Bearcats average 46 points per game – a vast difference compared to when the two do not play together (17 PPG in three games). The question will be how the pair fares over the season’s final stretch. Should they do well, it should bode favorable results in North Star’s favor.
- Benson County – one last hurrah
Benson County’s (1-5, 0-3) final portion of the regular season will be a memorable, if not bittersweet, one. After all, 2021 will act as the Wildcats’ last season as a Leeds-Maddock program. Due to low roster numbers, Benson County football will officially dissolve following the conclusion of the season and co-op with North Star (Leeds) and New Rockford-Sheyenne (Maddock) from 2023 onward.
Wins or losses will no longer be the defining factor of the team over their final stretch. Instead, the go-to goal will be to cap off Benson County football in a way that can be remembered for years to come.
John Crane is a sports/general assignment reporter for the Devils Lake Journal.
