BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota High School Activities Association football playoffs are underway, with games scheduled every Friday and Saturday from the fourth week in October. The postseason will culminate on November 13 with Dakota Bowl XXXIV, held in the Fargo Dome.
Several teams enter the playoffs with impressive records and histories. Undefeated teams include Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm, which achieved a perfect regular season for the first time since its program began in 1975, and two-time defending nine-man state champions New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock, holding a 34-game winning streak. LaMoure-Litchville-Marion also completed its third consecutive undefeated regular season, while Linton-HMB achieved a perfect regular season for the third straight year and the 15th time in program history.
Among the teams competing are Central McLean (7-2), making its fourth consecutive playoff appearance and second at the Class A level. Their only losses this season were by two points each against Dickinson Trinity and Bowman County. Southern McLean (8-1) also secured its first region championship since becoming a co-op, marking its third straight playoff appearance after an eight-year drought. The Roughriders have not advanced past the first round since 2005 at the nine-man level.
Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm (9-0) is in the playoffs for the third straight season. The Thunder previously won the state title in 2016 and have not allowed more than one touchdown in a game since August. They face Grafton (6-3) in a first-round rematch from last season, where the Thunder won 46-6. Grafton is making its second consecutive playoff appearance after a break from 2021-2024. Harvey-Wells County (7-2) enters the postseason having won its last seven games after an 0-2 start, securing a region title and making its third playoff appearance in four seasons. Lisbon (5-4) secured its playoff spot for the second year in a row and seventh time in eight years by winning its final three regular season games.
In other matchups, Bishop Ryan-Our Redeemer’s (7-1) earned the Region Three Championship with five straight wins to end its regular season. The Lions missed the playoffs in 2025 but made a Dakota Bowl appearance in 2019. Defending Class A State Champions Langdon Area-Munich (8-1), ranked third in the state, face Oakes (5-3). Langdon Area-Munich has made 11 straight playoff appearances and won four state championships since 2018. Oakes is making its ninth playoff appearance in ten seasons and has an all-time 0-8 record against the Cardinals.
Velva-Drake-Anamoose-Garrison (8-1), making its 12th straight playoff appearance, will play Dickinson Trinity (6-2). The Aggies have reached at least the semifinal round in six of the last seven seasons and won a state title two years ago. Dickinson Trinity, which played in the 2023 state title game, is making its fifth consecutive playoff appearance. Northern Cass (8-1) is in the playoffs for the second straight season after a five-year drought and faces Rugby (7-2), which is making its first playoff trip since 2019.
Bowman County (7-2) is making its first playoff appearance since 2023, while Ray-Powers Lake (7-2) makes its third straight and ninth in ten seasons. Top-seeded New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock (9-0) will face Hatton-Northwood (6-3), which finished its regular season with four straight wins. LaMoure-Litchville-Marion (9-0) takes on Four Winds (5-4), which is making its third consecutive playoff appearance but has not advanced past the first round since 1975. Linton-HMB (9-0) plays Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood (6-3), with the Lions having won four championships since 2000.
