1 week Ago By Maxwell Marko
GRAND FORKS — For the second time, No. 1 Grand Forks Red River had a chance to walk off against No. 2 West Fargo Horace on Thursday.
The first opportunity saw a botched snap on a game-winning field goal attempt with six seconds left. So when the Roughriders had the ball on the goal line on fourth down in overtime, head coach Vyrn Muir let the flow of the game dictate their next move. ADVERTISEMENT “Last year we called a timeout to make a decision in the Jamestown playoff game,” Muir said.
“I think we just felt this time we can get a half yard. We bill ourselves as a very physical football team. So for us to have 10 yards and say ‘You’ve got to stop us,’ that’s just how we felt.
” From the 10-yard line, after stopping Horace at the start of overtime, Red River running back Thomas Kraft brought the Riders to the goal line on three carries. Then, on fourth down and the game on the line, quarterback Pearce Parks jumped over the dogpile to reach across and secure a 13-7 win over the Hawks at Cushman Field. A two-point conversion in overtime against Jamestown last year didn’t go Red River's way to end its season.
In that game, Muir asked his players what they wanted to do. This time, the Riders changed approach. “I think if we had a little bit more time to think, I would have called a timeout to ask what we really wanted to do.
It was a split-second decision. Like, let’s just go and we did it,” Muir said. While Parks would nab both touchdowns on the ground for the Roughriders, Kraft’s work to move the ball in overtime was a small example of his efforts the entire night.
His 26 carries resulted in 109 yards. There was potential for more had it not been for turnovers. A fumble on Red River’s first possession of the game halted the start for the offense.
Horace's Ty Geray and Dillon Otterson were able to garner some yards with the wildcat offense but big plays from quarterback Taylor Stefonowicz kept the Hawks moving early. ADVERTISEMENT Horace finally struck at the end of the first half when Israel Bauer took a flat route all the way around the defense for a 29-yard touchdown reception. Stefonowicz, who went 8-for-9 with 63 yards and that touchdown throw, would be unable to continue in the second half due to injury and changed the scope of the Hawks' offense.
“Kind of fun; you’re on your fourth- and fifth-string quarterback against the No. 1 team in the state for more than half the game. We got to see some guys in different positions that had never been there and got to play a little backyard football,” Horace head coach Henry McMahon said.
Before Horace had a chance to feel out its offensive identity in the second half, Kraft and the Riders were on their way to tying the game. After getting the Hawks to jump on fourth-and-five to get a fresh set of downs, a 60-yard drive was capped off by a Parks rushing touchdown. Matthew Dick and Axel Anderson would step in when needed at QB for Horace and looked for Brett Livingston up the seam.
The 6-foot-4 receiver made contested catches on multiple occasions and even racked up 37 yards. “That first turnover, I thought for sure was the dagger,” Muir said. “Then we didn’t do anything with it, but then we get the ball right back.
In games like this, turnovers in the first half can open the game up, turnovers in the second half limit the amount of possessions you have.” In the middle of the fourth quarter came a crucial change of possession. With Horace at Red River’s 17 and looking to take the lead, a fumble on the snap exchange gave the ball back to the Riders with 7:25 left.
Red River would then move the ball and appeared to be setting up for a timely score as the clock ticked down. A facemask penalty on fourth down moved Red River into Horace territory with 4:51 on the clock, but a penalty on a long Parks scramble brought the Riders right back. ADVERTISEMENT Again, needing a big play on defense, it was Red River lineman JB Walters stepping up.
On fourth-and-8, Walters swatted down a Dick pass attempt. With 1:09 left, two passes from Parks to Kraft and a 12-yard catch and run by Carter Flom put Red River at the 14 with six seconds left. All for naught, though, as a botched snap on the field-goal try brought the game to overtime.
The Riders would win the toss in overtime and elect Horace to go on offense first. The Hawks' possession was clouded by a holding penalty that turned a 10-yard goal-to-go situation into second-and-20. Three close incompletions by Anderson gave the ball to Red River.
“I’m really proud of my guys for coming together and sticking through adversity. Obviously emotions run high in a game like this, but couldn’t be prouder of them,” McMahon said..
