LAMOURE, N.D. - It’s been said countless times, and the familiar phrase was repeated here again on Saturday.
There’s no place like home.
LaMoure-Litchville-Marion senior running back Anthony Olson piled up 240 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns on 15 carries, helping the Loboes coast past North Star 56-12 in the opening round of the state 9-man playoffs.
The No. 3-ranked Loboes (9-1) forage on to face Richland (7-2) in the state quarterfinals next Saturday in LaMoure. The Loboes entered the playoffs having lost in the opening round on the road in each of the past five consecutive seasons.
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“It was good to get the monkey off our back,” L-L-M coach Andy DelaBarre said. “It’s been six years that we’ve had playoff losses in the first round, and we took care of business today.
“To have this at home, and then to finish the game like we did, was great.”
Olson did a little bit of everything against the Bearcats (6-3). After breaking off a 15-yard TD run on the ground to open the game’s scoring in the first quarter, he later intercepted a Jayden Komrosky pass, ran in another score from 17 yards out, and also returned a punt 70 yards to the house before halftime.
The Loboes were in command 40-6 at the break.
“We came out prepared and just ready to play, and it turned out the way we wanted it to,” Olson said. “It was really hyped-up. The atmosphere was ridiculous, and it just felt good to have a home playoff game.”
The Bearcats were dealt a huge blow early in the game. Senior receiver Alex Weston went down with an apparent knee injury just under two minutes in.
The 6-foot-6 Weston went down during a LaMoure punt return after the Bearcats went three-and-out on their opening possession. Weston, who entered the game having caught 11 touchdown passes in eight games, needed assistance to get off the field and didn’t return.
“When your whole offense is pretty much geared around how (Weston) does, it really made us have to shift gears and scramble,” North Star coach Bryan Haugen said. “Then we had guys playing who normally don’t, and different penalties that hurt.”
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Plenty of laundry flew in this one. The two teams combined for 19 penalties.
“We’ve never had that many five-yard penalties in probably two years of coaching,” Haugen said.
“With any team, when you have one of your top players go down like that it’s certainly going to change the dynamics of your offense, and even your whole team,” DelaBarre added. “We feel for (Weston) and wish him the best. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious.”
North Star was unable to get much of any offensive rhythm going throughout the game. Komrosky, a sophomore quarterback, completed just 9 of 25 pass for 153 yards and two interceptions.
Komrosky was able to hook up with Riley Lagasse for a 32-yard scoring strike to tie the game at six with 6:05 left in the opening quarter. He also hit senior tight end Christian Kvilvang for a 27-yard TD pass as time expired in the third, which produced the final score of the game.
L-L-M senior quarterback Parker Stemen completed 4 of 7 attempts for 138 yards and a pair of scores. He found junior receiver Brady Warcken for touchdown completions of 32 and 40 yards.
The Loboes produced 450 yards of total offense, while holding the Bearcats to just 40 rushing yards in the game. North Star’s Johnny Heisler hauled in four passes for 85 yards.
North Star, the fourth seed out of Region 2, missed the playoffs last year after going 2-5 in the regular season.
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“I’m really happy,” Haugen said of the Bearcats’ season. “You go 6-2 in the regular season and you end up with a fourth seed on the road. That’s not very often that that happens.
“It stinks, but it’s also a big turnaround from a year ago.”
LaMoure, finally moving on, will get to test hom- field advantage next weekend against the Colts.
“We’re in the driver’s seat again to where we want to be,” DelaBarre said. “It’s just a matter of us continuing to keep getting better.”
LaMoure 56, North Star 12
North Star6060-12
LaMoure1426160-56
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First quarter
L-Anthony Olson 15 run (run failed), 8:43.
NS-Riley Lagasse 32 pass from Jayden Komrosky (kick blocked), 6:05.
L-Brady Warcken 32 pass from Parker Stemen (Olson run), 3:58.
Second quarter
L-Olson 17 run (pass failed), 11:54.
L-Olson 70 punt return (Drew Thielges pass from Stemen), 10:14.
L-Stemen 14 run (run failed), 6:13.
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L-Warcken 40 pass from Stemen (pass failed), 0:07.
Third quarter
L-Olson 40 run (Warcken run), 11:14.
L-Thielges 11 run (Marcus Good pass from Thielges), 3:12.
NS-Christian Kvilvang 27 pass from Komrosky (kick failed), 0:00.
TEAM STATISTICS
NS L
Rushing 40312
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Passing 153138
Total 193450
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: NS, Komrosky 8-(-13), Riley Thomas 8-10, Devin Dugdale 7-32, Johnny Heisler 4-4, Kvilvang 1-0, Lagasse 1-7. L, Olson 15-240, Adam Haberman 7-35, Thielges 5-15, Marcus Good 4-12, Stemen 3-5, Warcken 3-5.
PASSING: NS, Komrosky 9-25-2 153. L, Stemen 4-7-0 138.
RECEIVING: NS, Heisler 4-85, Lagasse 2-36, Kvilvang 2-31, Thomas 1-1. L, Warcken 3-109, Thielges 1-29.
TURNOVERS: NS 2, L 2.
INTERCEPTIONS: L, Olson, Hunter Sherman.
SACKS: L, Quinn Alo, Josh Voight, Thielges.
PENALTIES: NS, 9-55. L, 11-90.
Records: LaMoure 9-1, North Star 6-3.
