Imperials Advance To Semi-Finals
The Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter 9-man football team is one of only four teams left playing after the Imperials recorded a convincing 62-12 over Alexander last Saturday in quarterfinal play in Napoleon. The Imperials put the first blemish on the Comets record, whose season came to a close at 10-1, while the Imperials improved to 10-1. The Imperials have been ranked as the state’s 4th seeded team most of the year. Other quarterfinal winners were #1 New Rockford, #2 LaMoure and #3 Linton-HMB. The Imperials will travel to New Rockford (who is 36-0 and 2-time defending state champs) next Saturday while LaMoure will play host to LHMB as the winners from these two semifinal games will advance to the Dakota Bowl in Fargo on November 13.
In action at Napoleon against the Comets the Imperials managed to get on the board first. After an 8-play drive the Comet defense forced a turnover on downs by the Imperials on the 28-yard line. The Imperial defense then offered a shutdown of their own, as Alexander ran three plays and punted, with NGS taking over on the 25-yard line with four minutes gone in the first. On this next NGS series, Imperial head coach Jamison Fettig and his squad put together a 10-play drive which culminated with senior quarterback calling his number for a 2-yard scamper for six points. Schneider also carried for the 2-point conversion to give NGS an 8-0 lead with just over five minutes left in the first quarter. The Comets then started on their own 31-yard line. Seven plays later they broke open a big 54-yard play for a touch six, as QB Eithen Gillespie found Julian Gant. The Imperial defense denied the passing PAT, as NGS held an 8-6 lead with 2:17 to play in the first.
After the ensuing kickoff NGS started at midfield. After three incomplete passes, the Comets picked up their second personal foul of the game which gave NGS life with a first down. Four plays later freshman Beau Grunefelder carried for a 5-yard TD. QB Schneider once again ran the PAT as NGS led 16-6 with 28 seconds left in the first quarter.
The NGS defense kicked it up a notch, as they recorded a. . .