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(NewsDakota.com) – Maple Valley-Enderlin rushed for more than 300 yards Friday and held off a late Oakes comeback to pick up a 20-14 victory in the final game of the Class A football season.

The win clinches the Region 1 title for MVE and the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. Oakes will miss the playoffs after finishing with a 4-3 record in Region 1 and a 5-3 record overall. Entering the game, Oakes needed to win by seven or more points to win the Region title. A victory would have put them in the playoffs.

Things looked good for the Tornadoes at halftime as they held a 7-0 lead following a 67-yard touchdown run by Blake Hollingsworth in the second quarter. But Maple Valley rallied with 20 straight points in the second half, fueled by Austin Dixson who returned the second half kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. Thomas Lindgren and Jordan Haseleu added touchdown runs for the Falcons for a 20-7 lead.

Oakes rallied late, cutting it to 20-14 on a 25-yard pass from Bryce Meehl to Cole Ehrlin. The Tornadoes were driving late in the game but fumbled the ball inside the 10-yard line and the Falcons recovered to seal the victory.

Oakes was led by Hollingsworth who had eight carries for 111 yards and a touchdowns. Meehl completed 11 of 20 passes for 138 yards, one touchdown and threw two interceptions.

MVE controlled the ball on the ground. Thomas Lindgren had 25 carries for 154 yards and a touchdown, Jordan Haseleu carried the ball 10 times for 106 yards and a touchdown, and Dacotah McGough had 13 carries for 58 yards.

MVE improves to 7-1 overall and 6-1 in Region 1. The Falcons will host Park River-F-L (4-4, 4-3 Region 2) in the opening round of the playoffs Saturday, Oct. 20. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in Buffalo.

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