FARGO -- The Fargo Shanley football team was like a kid with a new toy on Saturday.
After missing three-and-a-half games with a concussion, running back Stefan Webber was finally back. It was time to see how the explosive the Deacons offense could fare with another big weapon.
And it was as if the senior was never gone.
Webber ran for 105 yards and three touchdowns to help the top-ranked Deacons to a 44-6 victory against Dickinson Trinity in the first round of the Class AA state playoffs at Sid Cichy Stadium.
"It was OK supporting my teammates and stuff (from the sidelines)," said Webber, who along with several teammates has a fresh Mohawk haircut for the playoffs. "But it's good to be back on the field. They were trying to get me back so I was primed for the playoffs. And that's what they did."
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Webber made an immediate impact on both sides of the ball.
The senior powered his way through the Trinity defense en route to 96 rushing yards and three first-half touchdowns.
Webber also intercepted a Ben Gordon pass to set up a 24-yard Dan Jordan field goal that put Shanley ahead 10-0. Jordan hit field goals from 24, 25 and 23 yards.
"It was great to have him back, playing well and doing the things he can do," Shanley coach Steve Laqua said. "He's a very talented football player."
Shanley (10-0) threw Trinity for a loop several times in the first half by putting Webber and junior running back Tyler Rivard in the backfield in place of standout senior quarterback Myles Montplaisir.
The duo ran the option to perfection, picking up large chunks of yardage up the middle and to the outside.
Webber and Rivard combined for 157 yards on 23 carries in the game.
Montplaisir was even more effective when inserted back into the lineup.
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He ran for 152 yards on 10 carries to lead the Deacons to a 38-0 halftime lead. He finished with 164 yards on 12 carries.
"We thought at the beginning that the key was our start," Trinity coach Randy Gordon said. "We started off on the wrong foot. We gave them some breaks right away. ... It's going to be tough for anybody to get to them, I think."
The Shanley defense was dominant, holding the Titans (5-4) to just 32 total yards in the first half. Trinity had 138 total yards.
The entire second half was played with a running clock due to Shanley's big lead.
Titans running back Mason Schiff's 4-yard touchdown run made the score 44-6 with 6:45 remaining.
The Deacons will host Valley City next Saturday in the semifinals. Shanley crushed the Hi-Liners 49-0 during the regular season.
However, Valley City knocked off a talented Bismarck-St. Mary's team 20-13 on Friday to advance to the semifinals.
"Come playoffs you can throw the records out the window when the teams walk between the rectangle out here," Laqua said. "It's going to be a dogfight."
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Trinity 0 0 0 6 -- 6
Shanley 17 21 3 3 -- 44
FS-Stefan Webber 23 run (Daniel Jordan kick)
FS-Jordan 24 field goal
FS-Myles Montplaisir 2 run (Jordan kick)
FS-Webber 1 run (Jordan kick)
FS-Tyler Rivard (Jordan kick)
FS-Webber 4 run (Jordan kick)
FS-Jordan 25 field goal
FS-Jordan 23 field goal
T-Mason Schiff 4 run (Kick failed)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: T, Mason Schiff 11-20, Andrew Roth 5-2, Brendin Steiner 1-4. FS, Myles Montplaisir 12-164, Stefan Webber 13-105, Tyler Rivard 10-52, Joseph Thorson 3-12, Peter Simon 1-1.
PASSING: T, Ben Gordon 5-16-1 106, Travis Heidt 1-1-0 6. FS, Montplaisir 11-21-1 123, Patrick Strom 1-1-0 5.
RECEIVING: T, Christian Olson 3-42, Brandon Sickler 1-8, Schiff 1-56, Roth 1-6. FS, Dylan Dunn 5-61, Joshua Rodenbiker 4-33, Brandon Nelson 1-11, Nicholas Salentine 1-8, Connor McGovern 1-5.
Hotzler is a reporter for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.
