North Dakota Preps

Who wins?

#2 Velva/Drake/Anamoose Aggies (11-0)

OR

Central Cass Squirrels (9-2)

Three weeks ago I say Velva no contest but holy cow is Central Cass rocking and rolling right now. Three games on the road vs. Bottineau (really good passing game), Kindred (power run game), and Beulah (most complicated/unique at least visually offense in the state). I'm going to stick with name and say that is proof their defense is real deal and will be able to slow down Velva enough to win. Central Cass wins 21 to 14.

This one is tough. Should be a defensive slug fest. It somehow it gets into a shootout Velva would have the advantage. Defensive battle is going to be hard to pick a winner. Velva has been the consistently good team all season, but no one is playing better or hotter than CC right now. Velva is undefeated in the Dakota bowl at I believe 9-0 under Sandy and this is his final year coaching. I think Velva rides that little extra motivation and wins 20-14. This should be a fantastic kick off game for the Dakota Bowl. The team that forces a big mistake out of the other team comes out victorious here.

Velva

VELVA 20 - CC 18

Holy! WHAT A GAME! 22-20 Velva. That was one of the most intense games I’ve been to. Congrats to both teams. 13-0 on Larry Sandy’s last ride!

Ok... Great Game... well fought. Fun to watch....
Not one holding penalty the whole game.... Really.... And Central Cass had two Face Mask Penalties and a horse collar tackled called.... For 100 % two of those were for sure bad calls. and kept Velva's drives going forward.
Don't get me wrong... I wanted Velva to win.... but a few big calls going against the tree rats.... and why would you not kick the field goal.. they have a really good Kicker..... I don't understand running the clock down and then not kicking it. Also why would you not give the ball to 26 and have him put his head down and drive the ball in. I don't get it.

That was one heck of a game to watch. On the edge of my seat the whole way through. The game truly could’ve gone either way. Had Central Cass elected to try the field goal in the last minute of the game, possibly a different story. They definitely earned their way into the championship game and played a great game. An instant classic.
Congrats to Velva/Drake/Anamoose/Garrison Aggies on their win. Congrats to Coach Sandy on his 10th Dakota Bowl victory and a fitting end to a career of 32 years as head coach of the Aggies.

maddog1971 wrote:Not one holding penalty the whole game....

CC had a holding penalty when Velva punted deep in their own territory.

Both of the face masks were correct calls and very obvious. The horse collar was a bad call for sure. Velva got called for holding once and it was a bad call that stalled a drive in the redZone. CC got called for holding on a punt return, I didn’t see that one so I cant say. The horse collar was right in front of me and that one was pretty bad, but in real time it looked like a horse collar. They are always gonna miss a couple couple.

Watching the kicker in warmups for CC I can’t believe they didn’t kick the fg to win the game. I get it’s a lot of pressure for a kid, but he was drilling them from 30 with ease in warmups.

I also think CC outplayed Velva. It’s rare Velva gets beat in the trenches, but they did today. That’s a really good football team.

As for not going for the field goal, two things came to my mind-- (1) coaches figured it would be too much pressure on the snapper, holder, and kicker--any slight hiccup by any of those 3 and it's not going to go through. (2) they were at the far left hash, not nearly as easy as if it were straight on like the extra points. I was wondering if they would try to run it to the middle of the field on the third down to have a straight-on kick, but that probably didn't give the best chance at getting a touchdown.

The horse collar was an obvious, textbook horse collar. The TV/Dome screen angle did not do it justice. If you were sitting on the west side, it was plain as day.

I don’t blame the CC coach for the decision he made. The ball was on the far left hash and a tough angle for that short of a kick. To me the biggest thing was the percentages. CC was running the ball on Velva at will. Velva D-line was GASSED and getting stood up most the 2nd half. I’m riding my hogs to the end zone.

vikingman wrote:As for not going for the field goal, two things came to my mind-- (1) coaches figured it would be too much pressure on the snapper, holder, and kicker--any slight hiccup by any of those 3 and it's not going to go through. (2) they were at the far left hash, not nearly as easy as if it were straight on like the extra points. I was wondering if they would try to run it to the middle of the field on the third down to have a straight-on kick, but that probably didn't give the best chance at getting a touchdown.

FG or Go for iT is a 50/50 call. Depending on who you talk to and their philosophy. The bigger head stretcher is, why does Wiersma #26 not touch the ball in that situation? He and Hienrich (Kindred) are 2 of the best RB in the entire state, and he doesn't get a touch. If I remember correctly, that entire sequence, inside the 10, they ran 4 plays and Wiersma didn't touch the ball. With a state title hanging in the balance, you have to ride your thoroughbred. Further, CC called a timeout to determine not use him.

Overall a GREAT FB game, just a questionable ending for CC.