Sports News

Lakota, the preseason pick to win Region 3, finished third behind unbeaten North Border and the 8-1 Dakota Prairie Knights.
The Raiders, the No. 3 seed out of the northeast region in 9-man fooball, beat Sargent Central of Forman, 38-13, Tuesday to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
Hillsboro’s opponent tomorrow (Saturday) finished the regular season schedule with six wins and two defeats. The Raiders, beaten earlier this year by Dakota Prairie, were defeated by North Border last Thursday at the Alerus center on a last minute touchdown.
A team that stakes much of its success on the Raider running game, much like Hillsboro, Lakota generally hands the ball off to Lance Johansen, who scored two touchdowns against Sargent Central Tuesday.
The premier Region 3 running back rushed for 223 yards Tuesday. He scored 18 TDs and ran for 1,278 yards last year as the Raiders racked up nine wins.
James Olderbak, Lakota’s fullback in 2006, is the Raider quarterback this year. He ran for 76 yards against Sargent Central. Fullback Dominick Novak added 153 yards in Lakota’s first round playoff victory.
“We run the ball,” Raider coach Joe Harder tells.
Averaging 49 points when they have the ball, the Raiders are limiting the opposition to 16 points a game.
Hillsboro is coming into the postseason averaging 35.9 points a game, while limiting opposing teams to 15.3 ppg.
Leading 24-13 against Sargent Central, Lakota on Tuesday took control in the third quarter, according to coach Harder.
Novack “jump-started” the Raiders, and Johnansen piled on the yards to secure the win, the coach explained.
Lakota shut out Sargent Central in the second half.
A grind-it-out, smash-mouth game is expected between the Raiders and Burros.
The match-up is expected to feature Johansen’s speed against Andrew Grothmann’s strength.
Don’t underestimate Johansen’s strength, some football followers are saying. Lakota’s quickness off the ball is another positive factor for the Raiders.
Wearing teams down continues to be Hillsboro’s “strong suit,” say football fans who have watched the Burros roll to nine wins.
Teams that have challenged the Burros have been beaten down by the end of the game, assuring Hillsboro of the win, suggested another impartial Internet fan.
Said a fan who has seen Lakota and Hillsboro play: “Both teams will pound and pound. They’ll have to re-sod the field when this one gets over with.”
Other Region 3 teams, in addition to North Border, Dakota Prairie and Lakota, are Adams-Edmore-Edinburg, Drayton-St. Thomas-Valley, Midway-Minto, Thompson and Central Valley. North Border and Dakota Prairie are also playing Saturday.
Thompson, the fourth seed out of Region 3, lost 38-34 to Finley-Sharon-Hope-Page Tuesday in the first round of the playoffs.
Region 2 teams still in the mix, in addition to the Burros, are Wyndmere-Lidgewood and Finley-Sharon-Hope-Page. The Richland Colts were knocked out of the postseason by Dakota Prairie Tuesday.