Dakota Bowl XXXI (2023)

[ByeSonBusiness]

Shanley 5 years played top level boys and girls bb. Played one level lower in Football. Last year in 2AA played the likes of Casselton, Wahpeton, Watford City, Jamestown. When Coach Mattern came on board he wanted the school at top level for football. He had administration support but the parents did not like the concept. Over time parents bought in. We have the lowest enrollment of any 3A school in the state, in addition to lower numbers than South, North and Red River. I would assume GF Central as well.

Based on the formula, Shanley could potentially play down 2 levels from current status, but might get "kicked up" to 2A due to on field success.

So yes, they wanted to move up.

If Shanley only has 80 kids per class then they are around half the size of Jamestown.

[TAILG8R]

Bullshit. You must not be connected to the hockey program very well.

Anyone on the inside at Shanely will go to their grave swearing they don't recruit. Anyone not involved with Shanley will tell you they have seen it happen many times.

[kab1one]

Bullshit. You must not be connected to the hockey program very well.

I am not connected to the hockey program as my kids played basketball but asked around. First off, Shanley doesn't have a hockey program but co-op with Fargo South and Oak Grove. So really apples to oranges in regards to who is in control (Coach is from South and its Called South Shanley) 5 kids on state championship team. not from Fargo at some point. Moorhead, Grafton, Devils Lake, Mayville and Breckenridge. Grafton and Mayville in essence don't have a hockey program, can probably can say the same about Devils Lake.

3 attended Shanley and paid full tuition, no scholarships. This seems to be a huge financial commitment to be recruited. In one case the family moved into Fargo kids freshman year. One kid commuted from a city that did not have a catholic high school. Another kid was local (Moorhead).

If these three wanted a free ride to play hockey at or with Shanley kids they could have attended Fargo South for free. Parents choose to invest in the Shanley education. Two of the five kids went to Oak Grove. No idea what their situation is.

Hockey is different as well, you can look up and down the valley and most schools have kids that have switched schools to play the sport. You don't see it in Football and basketball. As I noted, of the 20 to 22 seniors on this years team. all but one went to JP 2 system in grade school. So if we are recruiting, we start young.

[kab1one]

I think a key factor is that Shanley built the program up while in AA and enjoyed a great amount of success. That’s what I’m hoping for with the Minot schools. Give them a chance to build both programs up in AA and then opt up. I’m afraid the arrogance of the administration and the good old boys club in Minot will insist on getting annihilated in AAA.

I'm a Minot High School grad and they will have a tenacity to mock it up pretty good historically.

[NDSU_grad]

I'm a Minot High School grad and they will have a tenacity to mock it up pretty good historically.

My only hope is that since basketball drives the bus here not enough people will care about football and it will get left alone.