STEELE, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – It was contrasting styles in the opening round of the Class B 9-Man football playoffs Saturday in Steele as Kidder County hosted Ray/Powers Lake.

The Wolves rely on their potent running attack and the Outlaws bread and butter is their passing attack.

Thins stayed true to form as the Wolves rushed for five touchdowns and Ray/Powers Lake hung around, thanks to four touchdown passes, but in the end Kidder County hung on for a 44-26 victory.

The Outlaws took the opening kickoff and converted a 4th down, 26 yard td pass from senior gunslinger quarterback Noah Fredrickson to senior wide receiver Lane Veech. The two-point conversion failed but Ray/Powers Lake landed the first punch and led 6-0.

Kidder County was not phased and marched down the field on its opening possession and finished off a five play drive with a 12 yard td pass from Senior quarterback Jonah Harter to senior wing back John Wagner.

The Wolves would score on their first three possessions of the game to open a 20-6 lead.

Senior Payton Cauthon raaced in for a couple of rushing scores, from 28 and 16 yards to help build the lead, but late in the first half, Fredrickson tossed another td pass, this one from 66 yards out to Junior receiver Jace Nelson to cut the deficit to 20-14 at halftime.

Wolves fumbled the second half kickoff and the Outlaws were in business at the Kidder County 31. The Wolves D came up with a huge stop and Kidder County took over on downs at its own 16 and this is where the game swung on one play.

Cauthon busted loose on a 66 yard score to finish off a four play drive and built the lead to 28-14. It was Cauthon’s third touchdown of the game and he wasn’t finished. After Fredrickson threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game early in the fourth, his 25th TD pass of the season, andcut the Wolves lead to 36-26, Cauthon returned the kickoff 74 yards to the one yard line and shortly thereafter, Harter dove in for the score to put the game out of reach.

Kidder County, ranked #3 in the state, improves to to 8-1. The Wolves will face Beach in the second round in Steele at 2pm on Halloween. That game can be heard on Thunder Country 98.3 and newsdakota.com. Kidder County beat Beach 46-18 back on September 18th in Steele.

Ray/Powers Lake ends the season 5-2.