Kari Gibb/MDN The Velva/Garrison/Drake-Anamoose Aggies are the winners of the 2024 NDHSAA Class A State Championship over Kindred on Friday at the Fargodome.

The only loss on the year for the 2024 Velva/Garrison/Drake-Anamoose football team was the first game of the season when the Aggies traveled to Kindred and lost a tight contest to the Vikings 13-6 on the road.

This time, the Aggies faced the same team from Kindred on the road at the Fargodome. It was far better to drop the opener to Kindred and win the last game of the season in the 2024 North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) Class A Championship over the previously undefeated Vikings with a score of 14-12 to hoist the trophy.

Kindred opened the scoring up in the game with an eight yard scamper following a drive that lasted for nearly half the first quarter. The extra point failed for the Vikings to hold the 6-0 lead.

Velva answered with a drive that featured quarterback Ben Schepp connecting with receiver Reggie Bruner for a 25-yard touchdown pass. The two point conversion attempt failed for the teams to be tied 6-6 for the rest of the first half of play.

Neither team laid tracks into the endzone until the third quarter of play.

Schepp was able to find receiver Matthew Jochim with a 92-yard touchdown pass to break the tie game open. After the successful 3-yard pass to Treyson Inglehart for the two point conversion, the Aggies led 14-6 with one quarter left to play.

Kindred marched down the field in the final quarter and with less than three minutes to play, scored their second touchdown of the game on a 3-yard rushing touchdown. Velva/Garrison/Drake-Anamoose held the two point attempt out of the endzone to keep the 14-12 lead.

Kindred kicked the onside kickoff and the Aggies recovered. The Vikings were able to force a punt by the Aggies. With just over a minute left to play, Velva/Garrison/Drake-Anamoose were able to intercept a Kindred pass and hold on for the 14-12 win and be crowned the 2024 NDHSAA Class A State Champions.

Kindred doubled the rushing yards that the Aggies amassed and were roughly 20-yards less in the passing game. The Velva/Garrison/Drake-Anamoose defenders tightened anytime Kindred was in the red zone to keep the Vikings from scoring.

Thomas Bodine had 14 carries for 50-yards while Brayden Bossert and Jochim each had interceptions for the Aggies in the hard-nosed game.

Schepp was named the game MVP with his two touchdown passes, two of the four team interceptions and 12 tackles in the game. For good measure, Schepp also rushed 12 times for 35 yards and was 8-for-12 passing for 154-yards in the game.

2024 NDHSAA 9-Man State Championship Game

New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock 62, LaMoure-LM 26

The region 3 winners beat the region 1 champions at the XXXII Dakota Bowl for the 2024 NDHSAA 9-Man State Championship on Friday, November 15, at the Fargodome.

New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock, who beat the Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn Sioux in the semifinals last week, beat LaMoure-LM to hoist the trophy. The Rockets built a sizable 48-14 lead over the Loboes and added to that in the third quarter of play with a 62-20 lead.

LaMoure-LM was able to score one more touchdown in the fourth quarter for the 62-26 final score.

2024 NDHSAA Class AA State Championship Game

WF Horace 14, GF Red River 8

The top ranked team in the Class AA and undefeated Grand Forks Red River football team lost to the team that knocked Minot North out of the playoffs last week. West Fargo Horace won the 2024 NDHSAA Class AA Football Championship on Friday, November 15, at the Fargodome.

2024 NDHSAA Class AAA State Championship Game

tThe only two teams to beat Minot High played in the 2024 NDHSAA Class AAA Football Championship with the West Fargo Sheyenne team coming out on top over Fargo Davies.

WF Sheyenne built an early lead and was up 17-7 at the half. Each team scored again in the second half for the final score of 24-14 to hoist the trophy.