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Podcasts, Sheyenne Perspectives, Sports

Wins, Losses, and the Unexpected

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PART TWO: THE THRILL OF VICTORY
By Jaxson Miller
Hosted by Hailey Boehme

Official Transcript:

[THEME SONG – KOLBY THOMPSON.]

Hailey Boehme: Hello everyone. This is Sheyenne perspectives, and I’m your host, Hailey Boehme, with Mustang Post News.

In Jaxson’s last episode of Wins, Losses, and the Unexpected, Sheyenne football’s defeat and heartache was his focus.

If you missed this podcast or any other releases, they’re all free to stream on mustangpost.news.

This week, Jaxson wraps up his two-part podcast by taking a turn toward Sheyenne volleyball’s state championship victory and joy.

Here’s Jaxson.

Jaxson Miller: A couple of weeks later, Sheyenne’s volleyball team was back in the state tournament once again. Even before the Mustangs catapulted themselves into the history books, the season they were having was already historic.

The Mustangs won their first 22 games, their best start in program history, finished undefeated in the EDC conference, which helped them capture the EDC regular season title, and then they went on to win the EDC conference tournament.

Sheyenne entered the state tournament 32-2 and had to face a tough Bismarck St. Mary’s squad. The Mustangs swept the Saints.

Next up was the Jamestown Blue Jays. In another great performance, the Sheyenne Mustangs were able to get the sweep against another solid team. They were heading to the state championship for the first time in program history.

Kennedy Colter, one of the top servers on the team and one of the eight seniors on the team, described what she felt throughout the state tournament.

Kennedy Colter: “I think that whole weekend, I thought I was going to have a million heart attacks. That whole weekend was a lot because every game is so important. But, after winning that second game it still didn’t hit me because… just beating Jamestown, they are really good team, and we had to come out… and that we played really good against Jamestown so taking that whole game in was a lot after the game and I don’t think it hit me until later that night… like… holy cow, this isn’t real… like… we are actually going to the state championship.”

Kennedy Colter serving during Sheyenne’s matchup against Fargo Shanley on September 27, 2022. Photo courtesy Mustang Media.

Jaxson Miller: Sheyenne had to face Bismarck Century, a team that was in the state championship for the 12th straight year, a team that was looking for their 10th state title, and their 8th in the last 12 seasons. An absolute dynasty.

Did that bring a lot of pressure or nerves to the Mustangs? Of course. That is part of being an athlete. If there are not any nerves, there is something wrong.

The best athletes in the world get nervous. The players or teams that win are the ones that are equipped to handle it. So how did Kennedy and her teammates manage their nerves?

Kennedy Colter: Our team has two songs that we like to play before big games and to get us into the mindset of how important volleyball is to us and how much we care about each other. We play “I Lived” and “Halo.” And we were like, ‘Okay we have all this extra time’ before the game ‘Let’s play the song’ so we turned off the lights, we all got in a circle, and you could just feel that everyone wanted to win, and that everyone loved each other… we still do. It was a really good feeling and I think that helped calm my nerves down. I think all of us were crying, bawling our eyes out before the game, so that was great, but it was just that moment where we all got together, looked at each other, and it was like… this is the last game we will ever play together as a team, and for some of us, ever again, so it just meant a lot to know that everyone in that huddle had each other’s backs.”

Jaxson Miller: Sheyenne had faith that they could beat this dynasty of a team that Bismarck Century was.

Sheyenne beat Bismarck Century at the Bismarck Crossover, where the teams from the EDC, the Eastern Dakota Conference, travel West to play teams from the WDA, the Western Dakota Association.

Century got the upper hand against Sheyenne at the Fargo Invite towards the middle part of the regular season.

The Mustangs and the Patriots were the top two teams in the Class A state poll all season long. With each team splitting the amount of time spent at the number one spot, it was the perfect matchup for a state championship game.

[VOLLEYBALL BROADCAST SOUND – FREESOUND]

And the Mustangs did not shy away. They came out with a great amount of intensity and won the first set 25-21. Century responded with an early lead in the second set and won the second set 25-22.

Throughout the third set, Sheyenne and Century traded points with each other until Sheyenne was able to pull away. At this point, they were just one set away from their first ever state title, in their first ever state title game.

[VOLLEYBALL BROADCAST SOUND – FREESOUND]

Jaxson Miller: As a winning program, Century was simply not going to back down. With their backs against the walls, Century responded with clutch defense and minimal errors in the fourth set.

However, despite taking the fourth set, the momentum did shift back towards Sheyenne late in the set.

The Patriots had a lead of 24-18, but the Mustangs went on a five-point run to get the lead down to one before Century setter, Geneva Ding, faked out the Mustangs and got the point to close out the fourth set, 25-23.

[VOLLEYBALL BROADCAST SOUND – FREESOUND]

Jaxson Miller: The next set could have gone either way as it was a winner-takes-all scenario. What more could you have asked for as a fan? There was not a lot of room for errors. It came down to who wanted it more.

After the first half of the fifth set went back and forth, Sheyenne went on 5-1 run to go up 12-7. Century called timeout.

That momentum for Sheyenne did not stop. The Mustangs did not collapse and kept their foot on the gas pedal. Great setting by Kennedy led to Isabelle Albrecht and Lexus Terhark each getting a kill to make it a 14-8 game.

Sheyenne was now just one point away from knocking off Century and capturing their first ever state championship.

On the last serve of the game, Century was able to return the ball over the net. Khloe Brown passed to Brooke Johnson, who was serving to close out the game. Brooke Johnson gave outside hitter Reagan Bogenreif a great set.

Bogenreif rose and hit the ball with great power. Century’s front row almost blocked it but… the ball made contact with the ground. At that moment, just a little after midnight, Sheyenne reached the summit at long last. They dethroned the Patriots.

[VOLLEYBALL BROADCAST SOUND – FREESOUND]

KENNEDY COLTER: “I personally didn’t even see Reagan’s hit hit the ground. I didn’t even know, I was in an awkward spot, I couldn’t see, so I was like, ‘If everyone starts running, we won.’ And then everyone started running, and I just followed them. I was like, ‘This is not real’ and it was crazy. The best part of it was… I was sitting there… I think it was the fourth set and only in front of me, I could see our parents, our fans, and the Century fans. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh’ so I was like, ‘You know what? I need to take this all in.’ I stand up, I look around, and behind us is all the teams from the East, the West, and just everyone watching the game, cheering for us, so excited that they were jumping up for every single point. To have that feeling of everyone in the gym besides the Century fans cheering for you is something I will never forget, and that was a really cool experience too.”

Jaxson Miller: Kennedy says that what went on in all the huddles that occurred during the timeouts throughout the course of the match were a big factor.

Kennedy Colter: “I think that she (Newton) was just telling us to keep playing our game and to not get scared or tighten up because that is not going to help you win at all. I think when we got that run at the end of the fourth set, that really helped our momentum coming into the fifth set. I think that is really important and a huge thing in volleyball, is having the momentum of the game and although we did lose the fourth set, we did bring a lot of momentum into the fifth set, which was very helpful and that did push us to win the fifth set.

Jaxson Miller: Aiden Knodel was one of the many fans in the Bismarck Event Center that evening. He was in the student section with some friends.

Aiden Knodel: “Just seeing the redemption that the volleyball team was able to make up for our shortcomings, it was a really cool experience to witness and probably out of all the sporting events I have been to, it honestly was just like… crazy to watch, just the amount of energy that was inside the gym and just watching the emotions of the players, it was really cool to watch. And it kind of makes your heart ache because it is something that you wanted for yourself, but to see someone else go do that for you, was also a really cool experience.”

Jaxson Miller: It took Sheyenne’s volleyball team nine years to finally bring home a state championship trophy. The next step is to build off of this. They will have a good number of seniors to lead the team next year and will look to repeat as state champions.

The football team is hoping to rebound from the disappointing end to the 2022 season and return with vengeance next season.

Here’s the thing with sports, whether you achieve your storybook ending or not, it is important to understand that sports offer us the life-changing lessons that we need to grow as people and to make this world a better place. And for us to bounce back from our failures and our shortcomings.

[THEME SONG – KOLBY THOMPSON.]  

Hailey Boehme: This podcast was recorded and edited by Jaxson Miller and hosted by Hailey Boehme. Sheyenne Perspectives theme music was composed and performed by Kolby Thompson under the direction of Mark Berntson (BURNT-son). Our thanks goes to Aiden Knodel and Kennedy Colter for their insight and time interviewing as well as Mustang Media and BEK Sports Network for providing the sports broadcast audio in this two-part podcast.

In our next episode of Sheyenne Perspectives, Carter Phillips returns for part two of his feature on creativity.

So long everyone. We’ll see you soon.

This has been a production of Mustang Post News.

 

Podcasts, Sheyenne Perspectives, Sports

Wins, Losses, and the Unexpected

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PART ONE: THE PAIN OF THE UNEXPECTED
By Jaxson Miller
Hosted by Hailey Boehme

Official Transcript:

[THEME SONG – KOLBY THOMPSON.]

Hailey Boehme: Hey everyone! It’s your host, Hailey Boehme, and I’m here to welcome you back to another episode of Sheyenne Perspectives from Mustang Post News.

In our last episode of Sheyenne Perspectives, Carter Phillips delved into the human desire to create and share those creations.  

This week Jaxson Miller continues our series by taking a look at Sheyenne High School’s volleyball and football teams and how wins, losses, and the unexpected affected them.

Here’s Jaxson.

Jaxson Miller: The court.

[VOLLEYBALL BROADCAST SOUND – FREESOUND]

Jaxson Miller: The field.

[FOOTBALL BROADCAST SOUND – FREESOUND]

Jaxson Miller: Sports. They make the world a better place. They relate to the GAME we call LIFE.

There are highs. After a thrilling state title victory, the team is on top of the world.

Yet, there are lows. There is agony. There is loss. And that loss is made even worse when it’s unexpected.

In this podcast, we’ll look at those losses AND the wins. But really, we’re focusing on the unexpected and how that truly impacts teams and teammates.

Sheyenne wide receiver Aiden Knodel looking to block during an offensive play against Bismarck Century during their 11AA quarterfinal game on Friday, October 28, 2022, at Essentia Health Mustang Stadium.

Jaxson Miller: When our expectations are not met, how do we react and why do we react the way we do? Change or the unexpected is hard, challenging. And yet, in that change, or in the unexpected, there’s more to learn, more to achieve, more to reflect upon, more to look forward to.

The Sheyenne football and volleyball teams’ seasons ended just a few weeks apart. One team achieved state title glory for the first time in program history and the other suffered an agonizing defeat in the first round of the playoffs.

The football team was upset in the quarterfinal round of the 11AA playoffs by Bismarck Century, who won 27-8 on Sheyenne’s turf at Essentia Health Mustang Stadium. The Mustangs were the number one seed and were looking to win their second consecutive title after taking home their first crown last year.

Aiden Knodel, who is a senior at Sheyenne High School, was pumped throughout the week leading up to that Friday night playoff game against Bismarck Century.

The Mustangs finished the regular season strong by beating Mandan at home, 28-17, in the regular season finale. The Mustangs and the Braves were the top two ranked teams in the state at the time and the Mustangs captured the number one seed for the playoffs with the win and extended their winning streak to seven games in a row.

[FOOTBALL BROADCAST SOUND – FREESOUND]

Aiden Knodel: Throughout the week we knew it was a playoff game, a playoff atmosphere. The week prior, we played Mandan, which was a team that we thought we would be able to see later in the playoffs, potentially a championship level team, and we were pretty high coming off that win, but our preparation was definitely serious for Century knowing that they have gotten the better of us before in years prior. During the regular season we were able to beat them 42-14. So in that element I feel like we maybe could have underestimated them, but because it was a playoff scenario I feel like everyone was locked in and ready to go.

Jaxson Miller: The Mustangs were looking to jump start another playoff run to reach their fourth consecutive Dakota Bowl and have a shot at winning back-to-back state titles.

However, the Patriots came out firing on all cylinders to start the game. The Mustangs fumbled on their second drive of the game and the Patriots capitalized. Throughout the first half, Sheyenne’s offense could not get anything rolling and they trailed 14-0 at halftime… something they were not used to all season.

[FOOTBALL BROADCAST SOUND – FREESOUND]

Jaxson Miller: And the momentum for Bismarck Century continued into the beginning of the second half. On 3rd & 8, with a little over nine minutes to go in the third quarter, quarterback, Kyan Barth, connected with running back, Peyton Arndt, for a 38-yard touchdown to extend Century’s lead to 20.

[FOOTBALL BROADCAST SOUND – FREESOUND]

Jaxson Miller: Trailing 20-0 in the third quarter, the Mustangs’ offense was finally able to find a spark on their next drive. They responded by marching down the field easily. The drive was capped off by a Kaden Rahr rushing touchdown. Sheyenne converted on the two-point conversion to make it a 20-8 ballgame.

[FOOTBALL BROADCAST SOUND – FREESOUND]

Jaxson Miller: However, that spark would not last long. The offense stalled again. Despite the defense keeping the Patriots at 20 points for most of the second half, the Mustangs could not climb themselves out of the hole that they were in. Aiden could not believe what was happening.

Aiden Knodel: Never did it cross my mind that we would be in that situation where we would be down, and it was just like… we were getting beat pretty bad at that point. Never in my mind did I think that we would lose that game. So, as the clock was ticking down, it was a shock to me as I was just standing there. It felt out of my control. Nothing I could do. It just felt like a bad dream.

Jaxson Miller: Bismarck Century went on to win 27-8. Just like that, Sheyenne’s season… was over. There would be no back-to-back champion. There was not much to say.

Aiden Knodel: After the game, the locker room was honestly really quiet. Nobody had much to say. There was lots of hugs, some tears. It was definitely the most emotional I have ever had in sports where you have been growing up with these kids your entire life and it is like the last time you are going to be able to share a field, share a court, like any of that, with lots of those kids. It is really surreal, and you are realizing that your sports career is coming to an end. All the friends, all the relationships, every practice you go to, you start to miss that type of stuff and miss those connections that you used to have.

Jaxson Miller: It is hard to describe the amount of agony an athlete feels after an upset loss. It is like getting punched in the gut, like something that you wanted for so long just suddenly becomes out of reach.

But yet, in these agonizing moments, sports offer us life changing lessons that can prepare us for tough times in the future.

Aiden Knodel: Never take anything granted. I thought my football career would end with playing in a state championship where I would know that it is the last game I will every play. Luckily for you, when you got to that championship, you knew this was the last game I was going to be playing these girls, last game I was going to be playing with these guys. That is what I thought I was going to be feeling. I felt like that was stripped away from me so suddenly, so shockingly, I definitely thought that I kind of took things for granted. I didn’t really love every moment that I should have. Just don’t take anything for granted.

[THEME SONG – KOLBY THOMPSON.]

Hailey Boehme: Sheyenne’s football team may have suffered from over confidence. And maybe that led to the unexpected… their early exit from the playoffs. But what if confidence is completely justified? What if the outcome defies the expected, defies defeat? That’s where Jaxson Miller will continue, next time in Part Two of Wins, Losses, and the Unexpected on Sheyenne Perspectives.

See you soon everyone.

This has been a production of Mustang Post News.

Sports

Sheyenne Girls’ Basketball – 2023 Senior Send-off

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By Hailey Boehme

Coming off of a great 2021-22 season last year, the Mustang Girls’ Basketball team has continued to make some noise. Six seniors returned to the court this year with head coach, Kenyon Wingenbach. Since joining the Mustangs, Wingenbach has led them to 20 victories in the 21-22 season and 12 so far this year, as of February 22, 2023.

Hoping to end this season on another positive note, the Mustangs gear up for the end of season EDC and State Competitions. Their last run came close with a 5th place finish. 

The recent senior night, celebrated on February 21st, honored players Kaitlyn Haas, Peyton Breidenbach, Maya Metcalf, Brooke Johnson, Karson Sanders, and Alayna Holder, as well as student managers Maddy Hustad, Karli Urlacher, Connor Anderson, Lexy Terhark, Kyra Narum, and Jordyn Beyl. 

With the graduating class being so large, many wonder what Wingenbach will bring to the table next year, however, the roster looks promising even beyond the talented class of 2023. 

Coaches across the state are familiar with one in particular, the record breaking Brenna Dick. Brenna has demonstrated her phenomenal ability to make shots from any place on the court and play with incredible speed. Within the current season, she has shattered school scoring records numerous times.

In a game against the Shanley Deacons, Brenna put up 34 points, passing the 2021 graduate, Jadyn Feist (33 points). Despite the accomplishment, Brenna knew she could push herself even harder, and break her own record. On January 23rd at Horace High School, fans and the team yelled out in celebration following her 35th point. To no one’s surprise, she didn’t stop there. She ended the night with 41 points and rivalry game victory.

Aside from her total points, Brenna also holds a record for most 3-point makes in a game with 7 versus Valley City High School. Being only a junior, Brenna is well on her to becoming a 1,000 career point scorer. Her teammates and coaches couldn’t be more proud of her, and can’t wait to see what the future holds for her – on and off the court.

Click to access filedownload.ashx

Access link to view updated Sheyenne GBB Program stats!
Sheyenne GBB Program Statistics as of 9:30 AM, 2/22/23. Current 22-23 season is highlighted in yellow.

Featured image photos are courtesy of Mustang Media. Thank you to Ruth and Lillian Wirtz for capturing so many amazing moments this season!

Sports

Raan Rules Tennis Court: Makes SHS History

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By Jaxson Miller

West Fargo Sheyenne senior Ethan Raan is on top of the North Dakota high school tennis world after he claimed the singles championship on Saturday, October 8, at Hammond Park in Minot.

Raan defeated Grand Forks Red River’s Espen Schneider in the final round of the NDHSAA (North Dakota High School Activities Association) Boys Tennis Singles State Tournament.

Raan is the first player to win an individual state championship for the Sheyenne boys’ tennis program.

“It was very rewarding to bring the boys’ tennis program at Sheyenne its first state title and I couldn’t have done it without my teammates” Raan said. “Coach Anderson and Coach Healy have always set high standards for the team and encouraged hard work, and I feel that my success is a direct product of that.”

Ethan Raan holds the bracket of the singles state tournament after his state championship victory. Photo courtesy Mustang Media.

He redeemed himself against Schneider in a third set tiebreaker, 6-1, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3). Schneider defeated Raan 6-2 and 6-4 in the EDC (Eastern Dakota Conference) singles championship just a week prior.

Ethan Raan had nothing but a humble attitude towards his state championship opponent, “In regards to Espen, my opponent, it was our fifth time playing against each other this season and at this point we were 2-2. He’s a great tennis player and I enjoy playing competitors like him.” Raan was able to get the last laugh.

Ethan Raan went into the state tournament as the number two seed player from the East region.

He started off with a great win (6-0, 6-1) over Bismarck’s Gabe Hanson in the first round and got the chance to play his Sheyenne teammate, junior Mason Christensen, in the quarterfinal round.

Raan defeated Christensen 6-4, 6-4, to move onto the semifinal round.

He had a blast playing against his teammate in a match that had a lot on the line, “Playing Mason in the quarterfinals was great because it meant we had both been successful in the rounds prior” Raan said. “We had fun playing each other and continued to support each other in the matches that followed. He’s a great player and teammate and I can’t wait to see where next season takes him.”

Raan continued his state title run with a semifinal win over Grand Forks Red River’s Saylor Kuenzel, capturing a 6-2, 6-2 victory.
The journey to the mountain top was complete with the win over Schneider in the final round.

The EDC players came to play at the state tournament as Ethan Raan was in the mix of seven players from Sheyenne, Fargo South, Fargo North, and Fargo Davies, who were either in the championship or consolation semifinals.

Grand Forks Central’s Evan Panzer and Cole Wilber won the doubles state championship over Mandan’s Karter Hatzenbuhler and Brady Helbling.

Raan was hungry for a state title this year as he was close to achieving one last year but lost in the single semifinals to Shanley’s Kai Pierce (3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4).

He finished last year’s season on a high note with a win (3-6, 6-1, 6-3) over Grand Forks Central’s Ryder McDonald in the third-place match.

Fortunately things turned out differently this year.

The state champion himself was extra motivated all season long, “I didn’t feel that I had to redeem myself after taking third place last year as I went out on a win and played great players in the semis and the third place match. If anything, I gained confidence from it and it encouraged me to work harder for my senior season.”

Due to his success, Ethan Raan was voted the 2022 Senior Athlete of the Year.

Sheyenne’s boys tennis team went 19-3 overall and 8-1 in conference play. The program took third place as a team in the state tournament.

The 2022 West Fargo Sheyenne boys tennis team took third place as a team at the state tournament in Minot, North Dakota. Photo courtesy Mustang Media.

Raan felt that the team’s success helped him create a champion mindest going into the state championship, “My mindset going into the state championship was it was now or never. It was my last match of my high school tennis career and for that reason I wanted to win for myself and for my team” he said.

With that mindset, Raan also felt no pressure, “Although I was very motivated to win, I was also grateful to have made it that far and felt fortunate to have the opportunity. With the team qualifying for state, it had already been a great season that I and my teammates were proud of. So I went into the match feeling no pressure.”

The three seniors, Ethan Raan (left), Nate Angus (middle), and Kasen Baer (right), with the third place team trophy. Photo courtesy Mustang Media.

One of the best things an athlete can do is finish their high school career on a high note, and go out with a bang, and Ethan Raan did just that. The young man has a bright future ahead of him.

Raan spoke about his future plans, “I plan on playing tennis in college in some capacity, whether it’s for a college team or club team. It all depends on what school I attend. At the moment, I’m interested in studying astrophysics/astronomy and aerospace engineering and aspire to have a career in a space-related field.”

It is safe to say that the Mustang faithful is very proud of Ethan Raan. He will look to have more success this spring, which will be his final high school track season.

Raan is an explosive, fast-twitch athlete, who will qualify for state in the 100m and 200m dashes once again along with being on the 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams.

One thing is for certain, Ethan Raan’s tennis state title run is something he will remember for the rest of his life.

Sports

Loss and Agony for SHS Football

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By Jaxson Miller

There’s two things every athlete feels in sports based on the outcome of their games. The thrill of victory, or the agony of defeat.

However, it is all about how athletes respond to the wins or to the losses. More importantly, the losses.

Maybe more specifically, when expectations are not met, how should athletes react to the unexpected? Change or the unexpected is hard and challenging.

And yet, in that change, in the unexpected, there’s more to learn, more to achieve, more to reflect upon, more to look forward to. This may be the case for the 2022 Sheyenne Mustangs’ football squad.

Slot back Race Wilson gets ready to run his route during Sheyenne’s 11AA quarterfinal playoff game against Bismarck Century on Friday, October 28, at Essentia Health Mustang Stadium.
Photo courtesy Lillian Wirtz.

West Fargo Sheyenne went into the first round of the NDHSAA (North Dakota High School Activities Association) Class 11AA playoffs with a seven-game winning streak and as the number one seed.

The Mustangs were coming off a 28-17 victory against the #2 Mandan Braves in the regular season finale. Sheyenne finished the regular season at 8-1.

Cornerback Ty Schlichting gets ready to defend during Sheyenne’s 11AA quarterfinal playoff game against Bismarck Century on Friday, October 28, at Essentia Health Mustang Stadium.
Photo courtesy Lillian Wirtz.

The Mustangs faced off against the Bismarck Century Patiots, the number eight seed.

Bismarck Century was most dominant program of the 2010s and the team who defeated West Fargo Sheyenne in back-to-back Dakota Bowls in 2019 and 2020.

However, the Patriots finished the 2022 regular season with a losing record of 3-6, which is something that fans are not used to seeing.
West Fargo Sheyenne defeated Bismarck Century in week 3 of the regular season, 41-14.

The Mustangs looked to begin another playoff run against the Patriots in order to reach their fourth straight Dakota Bowl and have a shot at winning their second straight state title.

Defensive coordinator Josh Karch moments before kickoff.
Photo courtesy Lillian Wirtz.

Bismarck Century began to hit their stride going into the quarterfinal round against West Fargo Sheyenne. Century started 0-5 before winning three of their last four regular season games.

The Patriots came out firing on all cylinders against the Mustangs and were able to pull off a 27-8 upset victory at Essentia Health Mustang Stadium on Friday, October 28.

And just like that, the season was over for the Mustangs. There would be no back-to-back champion.

The Mustang faithful was stunned at what just happened. The fans were wondering how could this have happened?

The Mustangs turned the ball over a whopping six times.

Sheyenne fumbled on their second drive of the game.

Century capitalized with a touchdown reception by William Ware, a Minot State basketball commit.

For the majority of the first half, the Sheyenne defense was able to keep Century at seven points. The Mustang offense on the other hand, could not get anything going.

Century’s quarterback, Kyan Barth, connected with wide receiver Ryan Brynjolfson for a 44-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter, after Sheyenne fumbled again.

Century led 14-0 at halftime.

The Patriots got the ball to start the second half.

Century faced a third down and needed eight yards to get a first down. Kyan Barth threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to running back Peyton Arndt.

Century took a 20-0 lead.

Sheyenne answered by driving down the field easily on their next drive, which was capped off with a rushing touchdown by Kaden Rahr.

The Mustangs were able to convert on the two-point conversion to make it a 20-8 game, with 4:34 to go in the third quarter.

Sheyenne’s defense came up with big stops on the next two Century drives. One of those defensive stops included a top-ten play.

Marcus Johnson intercepted Kyan Barth on 3rd and 23, with 11:04 to go in the fourth quarter.

Unfourtunately, Sheyenne failed to score on their final three drives.
Bismarck Century scored one last touchdown with 1:42 to go in the game, right after they recovered a muffed punt.

The 27-8 first round loss to Bismarck Century will arguably go down as the most heartbreaking loss in Sheyenne’s football history. Sheyenne finished the 2022 season 8-2.

Bismarck Century was able to defeat Fargo Davies in the semifinals, 12-0, to punch their ticket to another Dakota Bowl.

The Shanley Deacons blew the Bismarck Century Patriots out of the water in the Dakota Bowl. It was a 48-7 victory for the Deacons and they captured their first state title since 2018 and their 17th overall.

This was also Shanley’s 10th state title in the modern era, which began in 1975, and the first time Shanley won the state title in the highest division since 1983.

The 2022 Mustangs featured another great squad that was full of well-rounded athletes. They looked very solid throughout their seven-game winning streak.

The seven-game winning streak started after Sheyenne lost to Fargo Davies, 35-6, in week 2.

Starting quarterback Caleb Duerr finished his first season as a starter with 90 carries, 585 rushing yards, and 9 rushing touchdowns. He was 50/116 through the air and had 839 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, and finished with 5 interceptions thrown.

Quarterback Caleb Duerr scrambles out of the pocket during Sheyenne’s 11AA quarterfinal playoff game against Bismarck Century on Friday, October 28, at Essentia Health Mustang Stadium.
Photo courtesy Lillian Wirtz.

Race Wilson was the leading rusher and receiver on this Mustang football squad this season.

Wilson had 115 carries, 639 rushing yards, and punched in 4 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes from Caleb Duerr, had 222 receiving yards, and had 2 receiving touchdowns.

Senior fullback Issac Kanega, who can squat 515lbs, ran 123 times, gained a total of 505 yards, and had 7 rushing touchdowns.

Issac Kanega receives a handoff from Caleb Duerr during Sheyenne’s 11AA quarterfinal playoff game against Bismarck Century on Friday, October 28, at Essentia Health Mustang Stadium.
Photo courtesy Lillian Wirtz.

Senior slot back Kaden Rahr, ran for 336 yards on 83 carries, and had 4 rushing touchdowns as well. Barieyedum Kpeenu had 48 carries, 331 yards, and 2 rushing touchdowns.

Wide receiver Dylan Beyl finished his senior season with 10 receptions, 194 receiving yards, and 2 receiving touchdowns.

Aiden Knodel, another senior wide receiver, caught 8 passes, had 151 receiving yards, and 1 touchdown.

Defensive end Karter Menz, the University of Minnesota commit, led the EDC AA in sacks for the second straight year, with 10.

The Mustangs defense will also miss the contributions from Nic Renner, Marcus Johnson, Ross Olson, and Ty Schlichting.

Marcus Johnson had four interceptions this season. One of them was a pick-six, which occurred against West Fargo High in week 7.

Sheyenne is going to the miss the seniors that are graduating this year, but they also had a few juniors such as Caleb Duerr, Race Wilson, and Barieyedium Kpeenu, who will return next year.

The Mustangs will look to bounce back in 2023 and try to make another run to the Dakota Bowl and capture another state title.

Sheyenne’s football program has grown so much since their inaugural season that took place back in 2014, and will be a team that will continue to be fun to watch in the years to come.

Feature & General, Sports

Success Is A Personal Road To Fulfillment

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By Jaxson Miller

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden once said, “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.”

John Wooden was the UCLA mens basketball coach from 1948-1975 and won 10 national championships between 1964 and 1975.
Photo courtesy Sports Illustrated.

Success is a word or concept that can be different for every person. Everyone wants to be successful, but it is a long road to get there. So what does it take?

Success can be defined in many ways according to a person’s hobbies, interests, or goals. It is not necessarily about being super rich or being MVP all the time. Although there is nothing wrong with wanting to make a lot of money and win awards, success should be about personal fulfillment.

Most people feel the need to be successful because they want to feel like they had a significant impact on the world. One of the biggest fears a lot of people have is looking back on a life that lacked impact or was unfulfilling. This is where hard work and being driven comes into play because there is only so much time a person gets on Earth.

The knowledge that your time on Earth will be up one day should create the focus and the need for accomplishing goals. Time is one of the most valuable things.

It takes a lot of dedication to achieve success and many people fail to work for what they want and expect everything to be given to them. That is not how it works.

Tiger Woods, arguably the greatest golfer of all time, said this in his acceptance speech when he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, “Nothing is ever going to be given to you. Everything is going to be earned. If you don’t go out and put in the work, you don’t go out and put in the effort, one you’re not going to get the results. But two, more importantly, you don’t deserve it, you didn’t earn it.”

Fortunately, it has never been easier to learn how to be successful than it is today. Perhaps this explains why there is more millionaires in the world today than there has ever been.

The first step is to stop looking for the silver bullet. That means to stop looking for the easy way out. Work and be creative! Success does not happen overnight.

Next of all, goals should be specific, attainable, have a date, and a purpose. There is nothing wrong with reaching out to people for help. Want to be successful? Learn from other people that are successful. However, do not look for validation.

Nothing kills happiness more than when a person decides to not follow their dreams. Do not be afraid to dream big: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars.”

Ownership and belief in oneself leads to results. If it is a person’s goal to start their own business, they need to take ownership in themselves.

One of the best things about entrepreneurship is having the freedom to create a business from personal vision. Plus, taking self-ownership leads to enjoying the wins and learning from the losses. Most importantly, belief leads to achievement. It is all up to the individual to become successful.

There are many ways to achieve success in life. Becoming successful requires someone to stop looking for someone else to do it for them, create goals, to be dedicated, work hard, not look for validation, live their dreams, take ownership, build experience, to have self-discipline, and believe in themselves.

There are two options everyone can do. They can either sit back and not work for it or they can start creating, take some risks, discipline themselves, and work hard so they can earn it. Ultimately, make everyday count.

Remember: Work hard. Stay humble. Be kind.