Region 5

[nordstde]

Just figured I'd start a topic about Region 5. These guys don't get talked about a whole lot, but there are some very talented teams this year. The two favorites are probably Divide County and Williams County. Divide Co. has been dominating this region for the last several years, but Williams Co. is coming down from a very successful couple of years at the Class A ranks. Anyway, what does everyone else think about the region this year?

[nordstde]

Just to start things off, here is my predictions for Region 5.

1. Divide County - What can I say? They always have talent, very good coaching and great teams. This year is no different. I do think they will hold off Williams County for the Region title and should go deep in the playoffs once again. They only lost 5 seniors and 4 starters. One was a very good lineman and the other three were very talented RB/LB. Their biggest obstacle will be finding someone to carry the ball. They have plenty of talented candidates though. Their offense will be lead by Quinn Ellison (6'0" 165 lbs.), a dual threat Jr. QB who has a very important year of experience on his side. Their O-Line is always the core of their team, and this years should be very good with four starter returning. They are loaded with skill position players, with Sr. WR Dane Dhuyvetter (6'1" 175 lbs.) and Sr. RB Sonny Radinec (6' 175 lbs.) leading the way. A couple of other players to watch out for are Jr. RB/FB Austin Dhuyvetter (6'2" 175 lbs.) and Jr. RB Aaron Windfaldet (5'7" 160 lbs). Their defense should be one of the best in the state. Leading the way will be Seniors Clint Urvand DT (6'5" 245 lbs.) (All-State selection last year), Blake Lampert DL (6'4" 235 lbs.), Sonny Radenic LB and Dane Dhuyvetter at Saftey. Austin Dhuyvetter is ready for a breakout year at LB, he plays bigger than his size and has natural athletic skills than run in his family. Divide Co. has come close to winning it all the last several years with 3 consecutive Final Four appearances. Can they finally finish the season as State Champions?

2. Williams County - As I said at the top, they are coming off some highly successful years in Class A ball. They will probably come in as the favorites for most people, especially the newspapers and such. But this is Divide County's region, so they must take it from them. The will face off in the last game of the year and it should be a doozie. They were rivals more many years and there is alot of animosity between the two. Between this Tioga/Ray co-op, they will have plenty of firepower to compete and should go deep in the playoffs. Tyler Lalim is a stud for them, he should be their QB, but I'm not positive on that. He has great athletic ability and is a smart football player. Williams Co. will be a very confident team, and they should be. I just don't think they will have what it take to knock off the DC juggernaut.

3. Berthold/OR - They have been a constant fixture in the playoffs for a while now, but they don't seem to be much more than that. They always have athletic and tough football players.

4. Glenburn - Used to be a very dominate team early in the decade. Pretty much the same as Berthold, make the playoffs most years, but not much else. They know how to compete with most anyone. Very salty players that like to get after people.

5. Mohall/LS - Not too sure about this team. I know they have some talent, I'm just not sure how much. I'm still trying to figure them out. Mohall has always had good talent for years, so they should be able to at least make a playoff push.

6. Surrey- This team is my "wild card" so to speak. They should have talent, it just depend on whether or not they can put it together.

7. Trenton - Haven't really heard anything about this team, other than they do have quite a few starters returning. Doubtful that they will be able to make a push to the top 4.

8. Westhope - I really hate to put these guys this low, but I heard they only have around 15-20 guys going out for football this year. I really hope I heard wrong. Their players and coaching staff are all class act's. They were a dominate team for many years, and it is too bad their their numbers seem to be declining. I know they will put at least a decent team together, hopefully they don't finish this low, because they deserve to be near the top of the Region.

9. Parshall - Don't usually have much talent. I don't think the will be much more than a cellar dweller.

[Bando]

I heard a rumor that the Ellison kid that plays QB for DC was on crutches and might not even play this season.  Does anyone know if they have a decent player backing him up, or what the story is on his status?  I think that Williams Co is primed to make a deep run in the playoffs.  They have a ton of athletes, and a great coaching staff.  I have already talked to my boss about getting off work early on Oct 12 to make the long trip to Crosby for the Williams Co Divide Co game.  Anyone who can make it should attend this game it should be a great match up.  Also I heard that Berthold OR-NS has a new coach, its a guy that has been head coach there before sometime in the past couple years.  I can't remember his name but I guess he likes to go with a lot of 4 WR sets on offense.    Anyone know anything about that?    

[sapp_jr_99]

ya ellison was on crutches, i think he's questoinable for the first game. If he does sit out the first game, Justin Haugland will be the Qb. They play trenton the first game, and i see dc's line mowing over their line. So i dont think itll matter much the first game.

[nordstde]

Yeah, I think the longest Ellison will be out is 2 games. But their first two games are against Trenton and Westhope, two teams they should have no problem with even without their QB.

[grizzfan]

I talked to some people from crosby and they said that ellison probably wont play much if at all this year.....he went to the doctor i guess and they told him his foot healed wrong so they will have to re-break it sometime at the end of the month

[nordstde]

First off, I want to know who your talking to, because he didn't even break his foot, it was a small stress fracture, he will be just fine. They might keep him out for a game or two though, just to be safe.

[e.s.p.n.]

He should play in the season opener against Trenton.

[nordstde]

As far as Berthold changing coaches, I don't think it will change thier fortunes much if at all. I do have a question though, what does anybody know about Williams County? What do they have up front on the line? What about any other skill position players BESIDES Lalim?

[e.s.p.n.]

Im hearing that Trenton doesnt have a team at this point, they had about 7 players show up to their last practice.

[Gtowngamers]

Yeah i heard that too and a couple other teams might struggle for numbers too, like parshall i think said they might not have a lot. I think trenton was going to ask the ndhsaa if they could co op with trinity christian again so they would have enough for a team, maybe just a rumor though.

[Gtowngamers]

2. Williams County - As I said at the top, they are coming off some highly successful years in Class A ball. They will probably come in as the favorites for most people, especially the newspapers and such. But this is Divide County's region, so they must take it from them. The will face off in the last game of the year and it should be a doozie. They were rivals more many years and there is alot of animosity between the two. Between this Tioga/Ray co-op, they will have plenty of firepower to compete and should go deep in the playoffs. Tyler Lalim is a stud for them, he should be their QB, but I'm not positive on that. He has great athletic ability and is a smart football player. Williams Co. will be a very confident team, and they should be. I just don't think they will have what it take to knock off the DC juggernaut.

When did all this animosity arise between these teams? They haven't played in a game that has counted in at least five years and i doubt that tioga or ray has beaten Divide in the last 15 years.

[nordstde]

This was a rivalry for years. Just becuase they haven't played eachother for a while doesn't mean the "animosity" has gone away. It is alive and well. As soon as both of them heard they were going to be in the same region it came back. And they have been bitter rivals in Basketball forever too.

[Gtowngamers]

Ok i'll give you the basketball thing... but they haven't been rivals in football for a long long time if ever.

[nordstde]

OK, you don't know what you're talking about. Divide played Ray and Tioga for decades in football before Ray and Tioga came together. Their JV and junior high teams still play eachother, so nothing has really changed. Actually, the rivalry has probably gotten worse because they haven't played eachother for a while at the varsity level. The kids that will play in this game have grew up playing eachother. They are all in the same area. And I don't know if you know anything about small towns, but no matter what, if you're that close and play eachother in sports, there will always be a rivalry, no matter what. Believe me, people are talking about this game like it's all that matters to anyone in the whole area. If you still don't get it, go to the game, you'll see one of the biggest crowds ever at a 9-Man game that wasn't the State Title game. Anyway, I don't want to sound like I'm attacking you, I'm just filling you in.