Rockets claim 9-man football state championship

The New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock Rockets are your 2024 9-man football state champions!

The Rockets claimed their second state championship in program history Friday afternoon, as they triumphed over the LaMoure-Litchville/Marion Loboes in a record-breaking 62-26 victory at the Dakota Bowl.

The two undefeated squads had been ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the state throughout this season, and they've consistently proven themselves in a league of their own. But in a battle of heavyweights at the Fargodome, the Rockets proved to be a cut above the rest.

The first quarter saw each team's defense get off to a hot start, as the first four drives of the game ended in zero points.

But the Rockets soon turned to their star quarterback Easton Simon on their third possession, and it paid off when he launched a 43-yard touchdown pass to Bennett Meier, who wrestled the ball away from a defender for the score.

On their next possession, Simon unleashed another deep pass to Easton Benz who made a great adjustment to the ball, avoided a would-be tackler, and completed the 51-yard touchdown catch.

Successful 2-point conversions after both scores had NR-S/M with a 16-0 lead midway through the second quarter, and all was going well for the Rockets.

The Loboes would respond, however, as they followed the Rockets' second score with a kickoff-return for a touchdown. Then a screen pass on their following drive broke free for another score, and it appeared this would be the close game most expected after all.

But as it turned out, a few Loboes touchdowns were hardly enough to curtail the Rockets. And as the first half came to a close, a string of key plays allowed NR-S/M to open a commanding lead.

Back-to-back offensive touchdowns by Carter Engebretson and Benz were critical, but it was the Rockets' defense that began making the difference late in the second quarter.

They forced three consecutive turnovers to end the first half, beginning with a pick-6 by Easton Benz, which was followed by a forced fumble by Bradyn Collier and then another interception by Paxton Neppl.

That last interception led to a touchdown throw to Bennett Meier with less than 20 seconds left in the first half, and the Rockets went into the locker room with a 48-14 lead.

With such a strong advantage, Rockets' head coach Elliott Belquist had an important message for his team at halftime.

"What a first half," he said. "Guys just put on the gas right away and just went all gas, all gas, no break. ... We got to get in the locker room and take a deep breath and enjoy that first half, but we have to calm down now. We got to get our heads back on straight and be ready for a tough half of football."

Working in the Rockets' favor to start the third quarter would be the running-clock rule, which went into effect when they opened a more than 30-point lead. And as the clock ticked away it was only a matter of time before the Rockets claimed their prize.

The Loboes did their best to put a comeback together, but the NR-S/M defense that had been dominant all season, continued to play well in the second half. The offense, meanwhile, continued chugging along behind the legs of Engebretson and the arm of Simon – and the result was historic.

A 59-yard touchdown run by Engebretson midway through the third quarter gave the Rockets 62 points, breaking the all-time record for points scored by a 9-man football team in the Dakota Bowl.

In the end, the Rockets came away with a comfortable 62-26 victory.

The Rockets' championship is the culmination of a match seemingly made in football heaven, as they now boast a 22-1 record since New Rockford-Sheyenne and Maddock Public Schools agreed to a football co-op two seasons ago.

The Rockets now have two state championships in program history, the first coming in 2012 also under the head coaching of Elliott Belquist.

After winning his second state championship as a coach, Belquist said he couldn't be more proud of his team and their efforts, especially the seniors who now end their high school careers with a championship.

"Proud of these seniors, they worked real hard in the offseason," he said. "They wanted to be here, they wanted to win this game – they got it."

After the game, Belquist was named the 2024 9-man football Coach of the Year.

NR-S junior Easton Simon said he and his teammates will remember this moment forever.

"It's unbelievable, it's been many years since these fans have got to feel this moment, and none of us have felt this. So it's something none of us will ever forget and it was a great win."

An emotional Engebretson after the game said the Dakota Bowl may never have seen a 9-man football team quite like this one.

"I think we're the best 9-man team to ever play here," he said after game. "There might be another team to come by and surpass us but for now we're going to have that record and we're going to hold on to it and we're going to cherish it."

"This has been my dream," Engebretson added. "This has been what's been keeping me up since when we started football in fall camp. It's just overwhelming and I'm so grateful for everything."

Be sure to check out the Nov. 25 edition of the New Rockford Transcript for a special section highlighting the Rockets' 2024 championship season.