Minot's junior quarterback Alex Yanosko had three magic tricks.
One was finding the end zone.
Two was keeping the Magicians' offense moving.
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Minot High junior quarterback Alex Yanosko, right, runs and gets a block from junior running back Brady Lampert while being pursued by Dickinson High junior linebacker Mac Rohr, left, and Taren Staudinger on Friday night during a Class AAA, West Region football game at the Badlands Activities Center. Photo courtesy of Dustin Monke/The Dickinson Press.
Three was a 24-yard run on a fake punt.
Yanosko scored five times as No. 4-ranked Minot defeated Dickinson High 34-23 in a Class AAA, West Region game on Friday at the Badlands Activities Center.
"We wore them down a little bit in the second half," Minot head coach Barry Holmen said. "He's a playmaker and we keep feeding him the ball. Certainly, being able to throw a little bit in the second half really helps."
Yanosko found the end zone in every single quarter except the second. He compiled 32 carries for 172 yards and was 5-of-10 passing for 118 yards. He connected with three different receivers but found junior tight end Jacob Holmen twice for 46 yards.
"It's incredible what a passing game can do for you," Yanosko said. "If you can pass the ball, you can run the ball. They are going to get people out of the box and not commit as many people to the run."
However, the Midgets had their glimmers of hope after a Dylan Skabo fumble at the 1-yard line and was recovered by Jordan Krieg for a touchdown with four minutes, 2 seconds left in the third to take a 20-16 lead.
Unfortunately for the Midgets, that's when Yanosko and the rest of the Magicians went into overdrive and Minot put together 21-0 run.
"I was real pleased with how we came out at halftime," Barry Holmen said. "We responded to some adversity. I was happy with the third quarter. I was completely disappointed with the last nine minutes. When we had a chance to end the game, we quit playing."
Dickinson was able to cut the deficit to 11 after a Taren Staudinger 50-yard catch from Skabo. Staudinger scored the Midgets first TD on a 76-yard kick return in the first quarter. Staudinger had two catches for 76 yards, while Skabo completed five passes for 83 yards.
"Our kids played a heck of a first half and we came in fired up for the second half," Dickinson head coach Dennis Morris said. "We just didn't respond and went into panic mode."
Minot scored the first TD of the game on a five-yard scramble by Yanosko. The Magicians' Brady Lampert added 18 carries for 83 yards.
The Midgets took their first lead in the contest after Mitch Mehrer forced a fumble. The ball bounced around through Dickinson and Minot hands before the ball finally settled in the end zone and Minot's Alex Mack fell on the ball for a on a safety. Dickinson held a 9-7 lead at halftime.
"We went inside the locker room at halftime and we said this game isn't over," Yanosko said. "We had to come back out and play."
The Midgets offense was stifled the entire game by penalties. In the first half, Dickinson had six penalties for 41 yards, while Minot was also marked by four penalties for 54 yards.
"Those penalties in the first half are all hustle penalties," Morris said. "We get a penalty and instead saying let's get these yards back, we kind of hang out head a little bit."
The Staudinger kick return occurred right after a Yanosko 6-yard TD run for the first score of the game with 5:10 left in the first quarter.