NEW ROCKFORD (NewsDakota)- Only the second three-peat in the modern era of nine-man football is one win away.
Behind a thirty point second quarter, the New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock Rockets rolled to a 46-14 semifinal win over Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter on Saturday at the Athletic Field in New Rockford to advance to the 9-man Championship of DakotaBowl XXXIV.
After matching four-and-outs, the Rockets (12-0) drove down to the six yard line and on fourth down, Jax Demester found Tommy Allmaras in the back of the end zone and after the two-point conversion, they led 8-0. But the Imperials (10-2) responded, going on a 70-yard drive, capped by a 15 yard scoring run by Jackson Piatz, to tie the game at 8.
It would be tied for twelve seconds.
On the first play of the next series, Demester found Jaxon Simon down the seam for a 77-yard strike to make the score 16-8. Then, on the first snap of the second quarter, Koy Zieman picked off a pass from Napoleon/GS QB Bryce Schneider and returned it for a touchdown and it was 24-8. Demester was not done, throwing two more touchdowns to Allmaras (27 and 31 yards) before finding Zieman on a crossing route from twelve yards for a 46-14 halftime lead. Demester was 21-for-27 for 350 yards and five touchdowns, 345 yards of which came before halftime.
The Rockets will, once again, face LaMoure-LM in the state championship game on Friday with coverage on KDAK The Cardinal beginning at 11am. New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock will be looking to complete only the second three-peat in the modern era (since 1975) in nine-man football and only the fourth three-peat across any classification during the same period.
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