Last Friday, Dakota shocked the world when they defeated main rival Chippewa Valley in the first round of the playoffs by a score of 34-13. Many expected the Big Reds to dominate the cougars, and continue towards a second straight state championship however, Dakota had different plans. The cougars set the tone early on the first drive by running the ball and controlling possession for almost the first 10 minutes before taking a 6-0 lead. They continued this plan all game which kept Chip’s explosive off the field, giving them less chances to get back in the game. Dakota had stellar performances from their running backs DJ Stepney who ran for over 100 yards with a touchdown and Caiden Sloan who ran for three more touchdowns. The defense wasn’t on the field very much, but made plays when the opportunity came, like when senior Matt Love  came up with a  big interception in the second half.

Dakota had a rough finish to their regular season losing two out of their last three games finishing with a 5-4 record. It was unclear if they would make the playoffs or not, but a dominating win against LCN was enough to get them a matchup with Chip. This win is a big confidence  booster for the team now with its eyes on the schools third state championship. With a long road ahead of them Dakota hopes to continue their strong play. Dakota continues their playoff run against Stevenson on Friday at 7 p.m. for the district title.