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ROCKFORD (NewsDakota.com)  Its do or die time for High School Football teams, as the playoffs started for both 9-man and Class 1A football on Saturday, October 20th.  There were a total of 16 games being played across the State of North Dakota on Saturday.

In one of the eight games of the first round in 9-man football playoffs, it was the New Rockford/Sheyenne Rockets defeating the Lamoure-Litchville-Marion Loboes 30-26. 

The Rockets are the #1 seed from Region 2 and the #2 team in the state, the Loboes were the #4 seed from Region 1.  NR/S improves to 9-0 overall, LLM drops to 7-3 overall to complete their 2012 season.

Only the Loboes scored in the first quarter, at the 6:51 mark, Junior running back Brady Thielges took it in from 50 yards out making it 6-0 LLM.  Then in the second quarter, there were a total of three touchdowns scored, two by the Loboes.  With about two minutes played in the second quarter, it was Thielges for the Loboes taking it in from 20 yards out making it 12-0 Loboes.  Then the Rockets got on the board when Senior running back Alex Perleberg took it in from 50 yards out, making it 12-8 as the Rockets went for two.  With only 20 seconds left in the first half, the Loboes scored again, this time it was Senior quarterback Jared Meikeljohn took it in on the keeper from 10 yards out making it 20-8 at the half.

The Rockets scored first in the third quarter when Junior quarterback Ethan Haley passed to Josh Edmonson from five yards out for the touchdown making it 20-16 Loboes.  LLM would come right back and score with only 18 seconds left in the third, it was Brady Thielges again for his third touchdown of the game, making it 26-16.

In the fourth quarter, it was all Rockets.  Right at the start of the fourth quarter, Haley ran 65 yards on the keeper making it 26-22 Loboes, the 2-point conversion was no good.

The most exciting play in the game happened when the Rockets got the ball with about 46 seconds left in the game.  The Rockets drove 70 yards for the score in 34 seconds when Ethan Haley passed to Sophomore quarterback/wide receiver Seth Gilliss for a 30 yard touchdown pass winning the game.  The Rockets would go for two putting them up 30-26 with 12 seconds left.   

LMM would get one last try with 12 seconds left in the game, but the Rockets defense would hold them from scoring.

Next up for the New Rockford/Sheyenne Rockets is Region 2 opponent No.3 seed Lakota/Adams-Edmore (7-2) in New Rockford on Saturday, October 27th at 1pm (12:30p pregame on TED 98.3 FM) for the quarterfinals.  These two teams met in early September, NR-S beat the Raiders 38-32 in New Rockford in double overtime.

Individual Leaders from Saturdays game (Oct. 20th):

RUSHING:
NR-S     Ethan Haley 13/159
LaMoure L-M     Brady Theilges 32/196, 3 touchdowns

PASSING:
NR-S     Ethan Haley 10/17 for 149
LaMoure L-M     Jared Meikeljohn 6/12 for 70 yards

RECEIVING:
NR-S     Chance LaBrie 3 for 46
LaMoure L-M     Anthony Olson 3 for 41 yards