Ellendale, ND (NewsDakota.com) – For the first time since 2016, the Oakes Tornadoes will not be playing postseason football. They knew this by the end of the first half already as they required a Hillsboro-CV loss to May-Port but the Burros would dominate the Patriots to clinch the #2 seed from Region 1. The Tornadoes would also struggle early against the Ellendale/Edgeley/Kulm (EEK) Thunder in the first half as they would fall to their in county rival 48-23.
The game started with EEK’s defense forcing a quick 3 and out. They would then methodically march down the field to the 30 yard line of Oakes when Ivan Carruth would get the ball and essentially run untouched into the endzone to make it 7-0 witch 6:47 left. The Tornadoes offense would go 6 and out on the ensuing drive with EEK following it up with another methodical drive as they would score in spite of an injured Carruth, who would go down untouched with an apparent leg cramp in this drive. Riggin Sand would score this time from 3 yards out to make it 13-0 with 38 seconds left. On the kick off Andrew Rosendahl would return the ball from his own 10 yard line all the way to the Thunder 15 to give Oakes excellent field position to end the quarter.
The 2nd quarter did not start how Oakes wanted it to however as Sand would intercept Beau Thorpe in the endzone on the first drive of the quarter to sap Oakes’ momentum. The Thunder would march down the field and Drew Thorpe would connect with Brogan Young for a 13 yard touchdown pass to make it 21-0 with 10:41 left. On the next drive Matthias Dahlstrom would be lit up as he crossed the line of scrimmage resulting in an uncharacteristic fumble which would be recoverd by EEK’s Ross Fredenburg. The Thunder would quickly score on a 5 yard run from Drew Thorpe to make it 28-0 with 5:01 left. Oakes would find pay dirt to end the half however as they would march down the field with Beau Thorpe connecting with Zade Heier for a 40 yard gain got them inside the 10. Thorpe would then find Brody Moore in the endzone to make it 28-6 after they attempted a fake field goal to try for a 2 point conversion which failed.
The 3rd quarter saw some back and forth play as neither team could stop the other for the half. It started with a 40 yard touchdown pass for the Thunder as Drew Thorpe connected with Tate Mathern to make it 36-6 with 10:41 to go. Oakes would then get back into the redzone and run a reversal that seemed to be failing as Beau Thorpe handed it off to David Bakke. Bakke, not willing to let the play die, threw the ball across his body as he got hit to Heier who would make the catch and get into the endzone for the 15 yard td making it 36-13 with 6:13 left. EEK would score one more time in the quarter as Sand would once again find pay dirt from 7 yards out making it 42-13 to end the quarter.
In the 4th Oakes would begin by marching down the field to get inside the 5 with Beau Thorpe charging up the middle to make it 42-20 with 9:36 left to go. EEK would then quickly score as they’d march down the field to score again this time on a Drew Thorpe quarterback keeper from 2 yards out to make it 48-20. The season would end with Zade Heier kicking a 30 yard field goal to make it 48-23 with :53 left on the clock.
The Bank North Player of the Game was senior Zade Heier.
The Tornadoes season comes to a close with a 3-4 Region record and a 3-5 overall record.
The Thunder with the win clinch the #1 spot in the Region and also were given the #3 seed overall in the playoffs. Next week they take on unseeded Grafton the #4 team from Region 2 in Ellendale to open up postseason play. You can hear all EEK Thunder postseason football on KDDR The Tornado.