ND Championship Semifinal: 9-Man Preview

NORTH DAKOTA-- We take a look at the two semifinal games in 9-man football across North Dakota and give our Prep Redzone Dakotas subsribers some context as who they should be watching for on the field this weekend across the state. I'll say it too, this might be one of the most stacked groups of 9-man prospects we have seen for the next-level since we launched in 2020 so you will want to tune in for all of it!   9-Man   #4 Linton/Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock (10-0) at #2 Lamoure-Litchville-Marion (10-0)   Players to Watch   Linton/Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock   [player_tooltip player_id='1226855' first='Larry' last='Umber'], DL/OL 2026 <a href="https://x.com/larry_umber56">Twitter</a>   The 6'3 240 pounder is very effective with his hands and leverage and has one of the best frames for defensive ends in this 2026 class in the state. Larry also shows off the short field vision I want to see out of my defensive end as his athleticism is excellent around the inside box. You cannot miss on tape the excellent pursuit angles he gets on every tackle as this 2026 hidden gem is starting to finally catch attention of the D1 coaches as we have gone to bat for his next-level exposure a bunch.   [player_tooltip player_id='1226858' first='Jake' last='Hayes'], WR/DB 2026 <a href="https://x.com/jakemhayes7">Twitter</a>   Jake is one of our top wide receivers in North Dakota's 2026 class had himself quite the game last week. With two interceptions and one receiving touchdown, the tape that goes along with it surely caught my eyes. Even more since I first watched his over a year ago, Jake shows off the excellent poise as a route-runner that would enstill plenty of confidence in a college coach with his great hands and football IQ, that might I add translates to both sides of the ball. At safety, Jake showed on those two interception clips I saw last week as a prospect that understands how to position his body to give himself a great angle to track the ball. He also has the range I find intriguing as a free safety with the sideline to sideline capability and hard-hitting tackling ability to go along with it.   Gentry Richter, QB/LB 2025 <a href="https://x.com/grichter1551">Twitter</a>   Gentry is a newer name on my radar that shows off from another look to be quite elusive outside of the pocket and I expect him to use that skillset this week. The 6'3 205 pounder also has good precision on intermediate and on deeper routes and I would like to see even more reps of him attacking deep due to his strength. I believe the next-level upside calls Gentry at linebacker, as this kid is a gobbler within the inside box in stopping the run. Plus, the measurables line up well at the next-level.   [player_tooltip player_id='1551592' first='Kashton' last='Moser'], TE/DE 2025 <a href="https://x.com/Kashmoser88">Twitter</a>   Time to meet an off the radar 2025 tight end that could be a fit as a small school steal, as we meet [player_tooltip player_id='1551592' first='Kashton' last='Moser'] of Linton/Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock. The 6'3 220 pounder, has a very long body type from his legs to his wingspan in his arms as the tape shows all of that length you want to see in a future college tight end. Kashton shows off great positional hands that are timing wise always in the right spot and the right time. Super surprised no one has made contact with Kashton yet on the recruiting trail.   Lamoure-Litchville-Marion   [player_tooltip player_id='1226996' first='Gunner' last='Thielges'], RB/DB 2026 <a href="https://x.com/Gunnerthielges4">Twitter</a>   Gunner was on my 9-man first team from our 2024 Preseason All-State Team to start the 2024 season. How Gunnar finishes his runs is fun to watch on tape as this kid has so much stamina to take it the length of the field, and has significantly improved with his agile movement from start to finish of those runs from a year ago. The slippery tailback for the Loboes is an open field nightmare for defenses and scheming for him as a wildcat quarterback has to be a pain in the rear for defensive coordinators. Gunner was also one of my favorite 2026 North Dakota running backs at the UND Flagship Camp this summer which is always why we at PRZ Dakotas are so firm on making sure that live-eval lives up to to what we see on tape. Certainly a running back I would love to see at the FCS level as Gunner will be the wrecking ball for the Loboes rushing attack this weekend.   [player_tooltip player_id='1185260' first='Owen' last='Lesko'], LB/TE 2025 <a href="https://x.com/OwenLesko">Twitter</a>   Owen cracked my standout list for linebackers at the UND Flagship Camp this summer and I still cannot believe this holds true, but he is still looking for his first offer. You cannot miss the motor you see on tape from Owen as it has a long and wirey longevity all over the field for the Loboes. He shows some of the best pursuit angles I have seen out of 2025 linebackers in North Dakota this season and what got me hooked on this kid last season still holds true, as he is one of the most forceful hitting linebackers in the state. The 6'1 215 pounder has waited long enough to get his first offer and even after re-reviewing the tape today, I am still shocked he doesn't have it as I don't seem to be missing anything as I also liked his testing numbers from muliple camps this summer.   #3 Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn (10-0) at #1 New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock (10-0)   Players to Watch   Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn   [player_tooltip player_id='951872' first='Walker' last='Braaten'], ATH 2025 <a href="https://x.com/WalkerBraaten4">Twitter</a>   I don't think you will get any arguements from the state of North Dakota that [player_tooltip player_id='951872' first='Walker' last='Braaten'] is the best 2025 athlete in 9-man football and even one of the bests overall in the state. The NDSU safety commit is from my eyes the best two-way athlete to come out of North Dakota since we arrived in ND in 2020 as his agile change of direction, pure athleticism and sideline to sideline finish on both sides of the ball shows why in my eyes the Bison got an in-state steal.   [player_tooltip player_id='1226999' first='Hunter' last='Tolstad'], DL/TE 2026 <a href="https://x.com/TolstadHunter">Twitter</a>   Hunter will be another defensive weapon for the Sioux to watch for in this weekend's game. Hunter is one of the biggest knockback defensive ends the 2026 class has to offer in North Dakota as the tape shows constant strength anytime Hunter makes any sort of contact with the ball carrier. He is a 2026 prospect I would LOVE to get more tape on and quickly but hopefully watching him this weekend will give me a firmer gauge of the upside I see on tape.   [player_tooltip player_id='1320088' first='Addison' last='Palmer'], RB/LB 2027   Addison is a new running back in the 2027 class to add to my radar in this 9-man preview and although the tape is light on this 5'8 150 pound tailback you can be assured what is on that tape grades high in my eyes. He shows off instinctive vision for his age and size and makes his biggest mark once he reaches the second level. I also could gauge that Addison has longer strides than the measurables he shows off as I was pleased with this kid's finish with his outside runs. Even as a linebacker, the vision reads well for Addison as it seems to be a trend with this Sioux defense that they play fearless and all have a knockback physicality when they make contact.   New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock   [player_tooltip player_id='1226854' first='Easton' last='Benz'], WR/DB 2026 <a href="https://x.com/BenzEaston">Twitter</a>   The best wide receiver in North Dakota, not only in 9-man football but in the entire class is New Rockford Sheyenne-Maddock's [player_tooltip player_id='1226854' first='Easton' last='Benz'] in our 2026 rankings. The growth spurt that Easton hit into this fall helped his case to us at PRZ Dakotas, but I continously have been impressed with his vision after the catch in the open field with that 6'3 180 pound size. Easton also has excellent hands and doesn't need much of a window to make his catches from what I have gauged from several minutes of tape over the last 6 months. His versatility with his route-running will be key during this semifinal game as his efficency on all three levels where he runs his routes will be tested with [player_tooltip player_id='951872' first='Walker' last='Braaten'] at safety as that will be a matchup I hope to see.   [player_tooltip player_id='725856' first='Bennett' last='Meier'], WR 2025 <a href="https://x.com/Bennett_meier5">Twitter</a>   It seems to be the case across this Rockets receiving core, as [player_tooltip player_id='725856' first='Bennett' last='Meier'] is another wide receiver that knows how to press downhill with his vision for yards after the catch. His tape is interesting due to the lack of it, but the depth ihe shows off not as a route runner but his upfield efficency in the open field. He also is a 6'3 wide receiver the Sioux will need to watch for on the Rockets as I will be curious on how their secondary schemes for the size of these two wide receivers as it will be up to those safeties to create a stout backup cushion in case there is a busted coverage at the corners. Bennett is one that I like the upside he could have in this weekends game.   [player_tooltip player_id='951993' first='Brody' last='Weisenburger'], OL/DL 2025 <a href="https://x.com/brody_weis2006">Twitter</a>   Brody was a prospect in the trenches I had as one of my standouts from the Jamestown camp this summer and I have seen a BIG jump in this young man's skillsets since the 2023 season. What stands out first? The instincts have jumped for Brody on both sides of the ball and he has created more balance on both sides of the ball with his skillsets. With that balance, you can see it quickly with his footwork as there is such a sound growth curve upwards in that department from a year ago and his pad-level too has improved with his hands. He has also grown with his inside vision from a year ago and looks more like a nose tackle at the next-level due to the increased fluidity, moves, and just growth of athleticism at the point of attack. Brody is still a 2025 waiting on that first offer.

NORTH DAKOTA-- We take a look at the two semifinal games in 9-man football across North Dakota and give our Prep Redzone Dakotas subsribers some context as who they should be watching for on the field this weekend across the state. I'll say it too, this might be one of the most stacked groups of 9-man prospects we have seen for the next-level since we launched in 2020 so you will want to tune in for all of it!