It was a different opponent for the Minot High School football team on Friday. But for the third consecutive game, it was the same story.
Junior quarterback Alex Yanosko ran wild again, helping the Magicians thump Williston 42-0 in a West Region game at Duane Carlson Stadium.
Yanosko gained 101 yards on the ground and scored two touchdowns before resting in the fourth quarter due to the big MHS lead. He also threw for a score and engineered four touchdown drives in seven offensive possessions.
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Tim Chapman/MDN
Minot High School junior quarterback Alex Yanosko tries to elude a pack of Williston defenders during the Magicians 42-0 win Friday night at Duane Carlson Stadium.
"They were playing a lot of man (defense)," Yanosko said. "And it seemed like they were really condensing the box. So the run game was opening up right away. ... Eventually, we started running our sweep action and they started biting. So things were working and success came."
Yanosko got the Magicians (3-0 overall, 1-0 region) their first score with just over five minutes left in the first quarter. First, the signal-caller converted on a third-and-long with an 11-yard run. On the next play, Yanosko ran a sweep to his right and was untouched on his way to the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown.
Defensively, Minot was once again spot-on despite the loss of junior linebacker Kolton Larson (broken foot). In addition to not scoring, Williston (1-2, 0-1) totaled just 176 yards, a good portion of it coming in the game's final two possessions.
Senior defensive end Tanner Gust had three sacks for the Magicians, who have allowed just 20 points in three games.
"Everyone did their job today," Gust said. "D-line came out, linebackers, secondary. Everyone just did an all-around good job."
Williston junior quarterback Jayden Ferguson, starting his third game in place of suspended senior Markus Noeske, completed 7-of-14 passes for 75 yards.
The Coyotes were missing senior running back Alex Haaland to an ankle injury and got just 54 yards on 21 carries from the tandem of senior Paul Michaelson and sophomore Bradey Miller.
Yanosko found junior wide receiver Kimani Benjamin wide-open for a 15-yard touchdown on third-and-12 that gave Minot a 14-0 advantage with 10:46 left in the second quarter.
Junior cornerback Josh Pizzo intercepted a Ferguson pass late in the third quarter. It was Pizzo's second pick of the season. Benjamin collected Minot's eighth interception of the season later in the game .
The Magicians' followed Pizzo's interception with a 72-yard drive ending in a 1-yard Yanosko touchdown run.
MHS led 21-0 at the half, thanks in part to a 167-67 advantage in total yards and a 9-2 advantage in first downs. Yanosko ran for 96 yards on 13 first-half carries.
Sophomore running back Karter Gorney wrapped up the scoring for Minot with a pair of late touchdowns. He scored from 5 yards out on one possession and took his next carry a possession later 40 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown.
"We kinda beat ourselves tonight a little bit," Williston coach Jeff Klein said. "They're a good ball club."
Junior tailback Brady Lampert also scored for Minot. The Magicians host Mandan next Friday at 8 p.m.