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(NewsDakota.com) – The Hi-Liner football team will be the road in the first round of the AA playoffs Oct. 27.

Valley City had a chance to earn a home playoff game with a 10-point victory Tuesday night at Grafton, but quarterback Christian Lunde and the No. 2-ranked Spoilers proved to be too tough as they knocked off the Hi-Liners 20-12.

Lunde ran for two touchdowns, and hooked up with Austin Contreras for a 64-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.

With the game tied at 12-12 midway through the fourth quarter, Lunde broke off a 33-yard touchdown run to put the Spoilers up for good as they earned the No. 2 seed from the East Region.

Valley City never led in the game, but twice tied it up after falling behind 6-0 and 12-6. The Hi-Liners had a one-yard touchdown run from quarterback Austin Svenningsen to tie it at 6-6 late in the first half, and then Shane Undem found the end zone from 7 yards out early in the fourth quarter to again tie the game 12-12 before Lunde’s big touchdown run.

Valley City falls to 5-3 overall and 4-3 in East Region play. They will go on the road to West Region top seed Minot Ryan in the opening round of the playoffs Oct. 27. Minot Ryan is 7-1 on the season and rated No. 3 behind Shanley and Grafton in the latest Division AA state poll.

Shanley is the top seed from the East Region and will host Rugby. Grafton is No. 2 from the East and will host Carrington. Wahpeton is No. 3 in the East and will go on the road to Beulah.