Kari Gibb/MDN Minot High seniors Landon Bedell (36) and Mason Eichhorn (27) chase down a bobbled snap by West Fargo junior quarterback Reed Kurzweg in the first quarter of play at Duane Carlson Stadium in Minot on Friday in NDHSAA quarterfinal action.

The game was less than ten plays in and the Minot HIgh Magicians were up 9-0 after dominating the West Fargo Packers defensively on the way to the 23-0 win on Friday at Duane Carlson Stadium in Minot.

The Minot High defense was helped by several muffed snaps between center and quarterback in the shotgun formation for West Fargo. When the visitors from the east did get the ball snapped correctly, the Magician defenders were quick to tackle the ball carrier for little to no gain to start the game.

Two muffed snaps and the ball recovered in the endzone and Minot High had a touchdown in the first defensive series and a safety in the second series for the 9-0 lead after one quarter.

The Magicians added seven points in the second quarter for the 16-0 halftime lead.

What began in the first half continued in the second. The Magicians added another touchdown in the third quarter and held West Fargo to no points in the shutout.

Minot High will host a familiar foe next week in the semifinals as Fargo Davies makes the trip to Minot for the second time this year. The first visit was one of the only two losses for the Magicians.

The visitors claimed the 17-10 win over the hosting Magicians on Sept. 13 in a physical battle.

E2 Fargo Davies 35, W3 Mandan 20

The quarterfinal match between the visiting Mandan Braves and the hosts from Fargo Davies started out evenly matched with Davies leading 14-7 as the second quarter was closing down. Mandan evened the score for the 14-14 halftime mark.

Davies jumped out to a 28-14 lead in the third quarter and would not be behind in the score again. With seven minutes to play, the score was still 28-14 but both teams added points in the final six minutes of play for the 35-20 final.

Fargo Davies makes the trip to face Minot High, again, in the semifinals on Friday, November 8, at Duane Carlson Stadium.

E1 WF Sheyenne 28, W4 Legacy 0

West Fargo Sheyenne hosted Bismarck Legacy and the two teams put up a defensive battle for the first two quarters of play. The hosting Sheyenne scored one touchdown in the first quarter and the two teams went into the half with the 7-0 score.

Sheyenne scored one in the third and twice in the fourth quarter for the 28-0 win over the fourth seed from the west.

Bismarck High will travel to WF Sheyenne on Friday, November 8, for the other semifinals in the state playoffs.

W2 Bismarck High 42, E3 Shanley 7

The Demons used some Halloween magic to build an early 22-7 lead over visiting Shanley in the NDHSAA state quarterfinals and took that same score into the halftime break.

Bismarck High added two more scores in the third quarter and one moore late in the game for the 42-7 win.

Bismarck High will be the second Bismarck team to travel to WF Sheyenne in the playoffs. Legacy lost on the road in the quarterfinal round and Bismarck High will face them in the semifinal round.