Sports News

For the third straight year Hillsboro has been eliminated in the postseason by the Napoleon Imperials.

It happened again last weekend.

The defending 9-man state champion overpowered the Burros, 44-19, Saturday at Napoleon in the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs.

The Imperials knocked the Burros out of the running two years ago in Napoleon. Last year, the Imperials beat the Burros, 28-13, in Hillsboro in the quarterfinal round.

Like they did the previous two years, the Imperials last weekend left little doubt who was the better team.

Controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, the defending state champs scored with authority while limiting the Burros to 19 points, 20 points below their average.

Undefeated prior to Saturday, the Burros came into the playoff game averaging 39 points a game.

While Hillsboro had the edge in first downs (14-13), rushing yardage (284-22 and total offense (320-319), the game and the right to play again this weekend belonged to Napoleon. The Imperials host Dakota Prairie tomorrow (Saturday) in Napoleon. The other semifinal game has Mott Regent playing Divide County at Crosby.

Napoleon, Mott-Regent and Divide County, the top three ranked teams in 9-man, are all undefeated. Dakota Prairie enters the semifinal round with a 10-1 record.

Napoleon’s Imperials, who held a 20-7 halftime lead, scored 24 points in the final quarter against the Burros.

Hillsboro countered with three TDs, one in each of the last three quarters. Scoring for the Burros were Zach Grothmann, Jake Olsen on a pass from Aaron Meyer and Andrew Grothmann.

Zach Grothmann’s 1-yard TD in the second quarter came one play after he ran for 76 yards to the Napoleon 1-yard line. The sophomore running back finished with 112 rushing yards.

Andrew Grothmann was held to 75 yards, well below his 115 yards per game average.

Evan Gross rushed for 150 yards against the Burros. Quarterback Brady Fettig completed five of nine passes for 91 yards. The Imperials’ offense is built on its running game, but on Saturday their passing game was impressive.

Dakota Prairie, an offensive machine in Region 3, will be hard-pressed in stopping the Imperial offense. The Dakota Prairie Knights knocked off previously unbeaten North Border, 56-51, last Saturday.

Hillsboro’s season ended with 10 wins and one loss. The Region 2 champ beat Lakota, 35-6, in the second round of the playoffs.

The Burros will lose four players to graduation — Jake Olsen, Anthony Von Ruden, Brian Smelden and Billy Otto.

Olsen, Von Ruden, Andrew Grothmann, Aaron Meyer, Bill Breen and James Horne were named this week to the all-Region 2 team. Jake McLean, Zach Grothmann and Smelden were honorable mention selections.

Hillsboro’s Mark Rerick and Chad Kainz, Finley-Sharon-Hope-Page coach, shared the Coach of the Year award.

Zach Puetz, Wyndmere-Lidgerwood, was named the Region 2 Senior Athlete of the Year.