West Fargo Horace football joins the varsity ranks with game against talented Fargo North squad

By Tom Mix
NDHSAA Media Specialist

FARGO – The West Fargo Horace Hawks football team took flight Friday night.

Horace played its first high school football game as a varsity program on Friday, August 19 playing at Fargo North High School.

The Hawks do not have any seniors on their roster this fall and took the field knowing there will likely be growing pains along the way as their program continues to build itself up in the North Dakota prep football ranks.

Horace took a step forward in that build playing Fargo North, a squad that made it to the NDHSAA Division 11A football semifinals a year ago.

Ultimately, Fargo North defeated Horace 56-7 on Friday.

There were some big firsts for the Hawks. 

Horace head coach Harvey McMahon and his staff got the first taste of coaching in a varsity game. 

Junior running back Xavier Burrow notched the Hawks’ first ever first down conversion late in the first quarter.

Junior fullback Dylan Johnson scored the first varsity touchdown in Horace Hawks history running in a four-yard score with 11 minutes, six seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Sophomore kicker Alex Perez got the Hawks’ first big special teams victory adding a successful point-after kick following Johnson’s touchdown run.

Horace’s opponent – the Spartans – proved to be tough. North scored on all seven of their possessions in the first half and built a 49-7 lead at halftime. Junior quarterback Ethan Welk led the Spartans’ passing attack, throwing for three touchdowns in the game – two to junior receiver Jeremiah Sem and another strike to junior Carson Hannestad.

The Spartans also flexed in the running game. Junior Peder Haugo rushed for three touchdowns and senior John Williams was perhaps the Spartans’ most efficient player on offense, running for 133 yards on four attempts and two touchdowns.   

Next week, North (1-0) travels to Cushman Field to play Grand Forks Central. Horace (0-1) travels to Dickinson to play the Midgets, another squad that made it to the Division 11A semifinals a year ago. Horace plays its first home game September 16 against Wahpeton.

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