Fargo South football coach Kevin Feeney fired up his Bruins before their game against Fargo Shanley Wednesday by telling them to consider it their first playoff game.
They took Feeney's words to heart Wednesday, rushing for five touchdowns in the first half en route to a 33-7 victory over the Deacons in the final regular-season game for both teams at South athletic field.
The Bruins, who will have the No. 2 seed in the East Region, host West Region No. 3 seed Bismarck Century on Oct. 29 in the North Dakota Class 3A playoff quarterfinals.
"We really talked about it," Feeney said. "We needed to take care of business."
South running backs Paul German and Catlin Solum each rushed for two touchdowns in the first half to get the Bruins a 26-0 lead.
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German scored on 9- and 1-yard runs in the first quarter while Solum scored on runs of 11 and 3 yards. The Bruins rushed for 251 yards.
"Our goal at the end of the season is to be state champs," German said. "In order to do that, we need to be rolling into the playoffs."
South quarterback Brandon Larson set up the short rushing touchdowns with pinpoint passing in the first quarter.
Larson, who finished 7 of 9 with 97 yards passing, completed his first six passes and helped set up the Bruins' three first-quarter touchdowns.
"We got a lot of good things done with our starters," Bruins senior lineman and quad-captain Cameron Dockter said.
Shanley's lone touchdown came in the third quarter on Jordan Weir's well-executed 59-yard quarterback option run. The Deacons finished with 145 total yards.
Shanley coach Dale Hammerschmidt said the season didn't live up to the team's goals of making the playoffs.
"We felt we were a playoff team. There's a big gap between them and where we're at," Hammerschmidt said. "It's a fact we must rectify in the future. The very near future."
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Shanley 0 0 7 0- 7
South 19 14 0 0-33
South-German 9 run (Olson kick)
South-German 1 run (kick failed)
South-Solum 11 run (pass failed)
South-Solum 3 run (Olson kick)
South-Dawson 42 run (Ericksmoen kick)
Shanley-J. Weir 59 run (Elias kick)
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Shanley, J. Weir 2-52, Hushka 5-21, Roehrich 5-21, Berry 3-4, Rodenbiker 8-(-11). South, Wenell 10-45, Dawson 1-42, Solum 9-39, German 5-33, Savageau 1-32, Zollinger 4-21, Felch 5-19, Horner 1-9, Kary 1-7, Gackle 1-5, Cameron 5-4, Sholl 1-(-2), Brandenburg 1-(-3).
PASSING: Shanley, Roehrich 2-10-0 56, J. Weir 2-4-0 2. South, Larson 7-9-0 97, Cameron 1-1-0 15, Sholl 0-1-0 0.
RECEIVING: Shanley, Rodenbiker 1-28, Volk 1-28, Berry 1-4, Sinner 1-(-2). South, Savageau 3-46, German 2-25, Brandenburg 1-15, Kramer 1-14, Oesterich 1-12.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Dustin Monke at (701) 241-5549
