Upsala-Swanville Area defeats Benson 36-12 for third straight section title
A 24-play defensive stand in the first half secured the Minnesota Section 5-1A championship for the 10-0 Patriots at the Fargodome.
By James Mitchell ·
The Minnesota high school football season reached its sectional conclusion on Friday night at the Fargodome in Fargo. Upsala-Swanville Area defeated Benson 36-12 to claim the Section 5-1A championship, marking the program's third consecutive title in this division.
The deciding moment occurred during a 10-minute, 24-play possession by Benson that spanned the final minutes of the first half. The Braves began at their own 18-yard line with 10:01 remaining on the clock. They moved the ball methodically to the Upsala-Swanville 6-yard line. A bad snap on a second-and-goal play resulted in a 10-yard penalty. This error pushed Benson back to the 32-yard line with five seconds left before halftime. An incomplete pass by Benson quarterback Darin Hippe as time expired prevented the Braves from scoring.
Upsala-Swanville head coach Jay Loven credited the defensive unit for the stop. "That was a big stop," Loven said. "They showed great improvement since we played them in Week 2." The stop preserved a 16-point lead for the Patriots, who had taken a 22-6 advantage late in the second quarter.
Benson attempted to regain momentum after intermission. Running back Adrian Young scored on a 3-yard run to cut the deficit to 22-12 with 8:53 remaining in the third quarter. That score ended a sequence of 30 consecutive plays from scrimmage by the Braves. Benson head coach Brady Dokkebakken acknowledged the quality of the opposing team. "That’s a great team," Dokkebakken said. "They’re always good, but it feels like it’s one of their better teams."
Upsala-Swanville extended its lead in the final quarter. Senior Calvin Leners and junior Dalton Welinski each recorded two touchdown runs for the Patriots. Quarterback William Schafer added a 23-yard touchdown run with 9:41 remaining in the fourth quarter, making the score 36-12. The Patriots scored touchdowns on their first five drives of the game.
The victory extends Upsala-Swanville's win streak to ten games and snaps Benson's seven-game winning run. The Patriots advance to the state quarterfinals. Benson had previously lost to Upsala-Swanville by a score of 52-7 in early September. Leners described the defensive performance as a crucial factor in the win. "That was huge," Leners said.
