North Dakota

Iowa State's wary of North Dakota in Saturday's season opener despite being heavy favorite

Published

2 years ago

August 27, 2024

Iowa State's wary of North Dakota in Saturday's season opener despite being heavy favorite

Iowa State football head coach Matt Campbell talks to the media during the program’s football media day at Stark Performance Center on Friday, August 2, 2024, in Ames, Iowa.© NIrmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

AMES — The excitement level spikes. The adrenaline flows more freely. Mistakes emerge that must be corrected.

It’s finally game week for the Iowa State football team, and as the atmosphere changes, head coach Matt Campbell and his staff endeavor to ensure nothing else does in terms of his team’s preparedness and attention to detail.

“That’s the whole mentality of this program,” Campbell said in advance of the Cyclones’ season-opener at 2:30 p.m. Saturday (FS1) against North Dakota at Jack Trice Stadium. “Your mindset day in and day out for the last six months should match what Tuesday practice in the fall looks like — week one, to week six, to week 12. The great teams that I’ve been around, they’ve had the same mindset every single day.”

So there’s no mental shift for ISU as it transitions from fall camp to the regular season — except that now the players will be cheered on by 60,000-plus fans.

“The energy in the Jack — me personally, I love playing in Jack Trice (Stadium),” said junior defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim, one of six Cyclones whose 13 career starts all came last season. “It should be really fun, really exciting. I love the energy. Ready to go.”

ISU and North Dakota have never met on the football field, but the Fighting Hawks’ rise though the FCS ranks over the past several years has been impressive. They reached the playoffs in 2023 and return skilled starters at key positions, but are less experienced on the offensive and defensive lines and at quarterback. And despite being prohibitive favorites this Saturday, Campbell and his staff know that danger and adversity often lurk in those on-paper mismatches in week one.

Case in point: Last Saturday’s “week zero” game between No. 10 Florida State and Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland. The Yellow Jackets were double-digit underdogs, but upset the Seminoles, 24-21, on a last-second field goal.

“Football’s hard to replicate,” Campbell said of the inevitable rust often evident early in the season. “Eleven-on-eleven, it’s really hard to replicate the environment and game day experience. So, man, how you tackle in the first game, how you handle the pressure of some of these guys in new roles — and all of a sudden, now there (are nearly) 70,000 people here and there’s this great environment and great experience. I think all of those things are unknown.”

North Dakota’s biggest unknown is its quarterback, Simon Romfo. He beat out last season’s backup during fall camp, but nearly all of his college football statistics are sandwiched into mop-up duty in one game. The 5-11, 190-pound junior completed both his passes and rushed for two touchdowns in last season’s 49-10 win over Western Illinois.

“He’s a skilled guy,” Cyclones veteran defensive coordinator Jon Heacock said. “He’s athletic. He’s tough. And those guys present problems, too. They run the football, you know, quarterback runs. It’s stuff we’ve prepped for and studied all summer, and we’re just trying to figure out the balance to where it’s all gonna be.”

Therein lies the uncertainty in week one of any season. That’s why Campbell hopes nothing changes in how his players approach each practice — even as the cheers and hoopla will soon surround each Saturday as “the lights come on.”

“Now there’s a result,” Campbell said. “A tangible result to the time, the effort, the energy that you spend into it. Not all results will be great, and how you respond to it is defining of who you are and who you’ll become.”

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North Dakota

PHOTOS: Long Beach State vs. North Dakota State, Softball

Published

3 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

PHOTOS: Long Beach State vs. North Dakota State, Softball

The562’s coverage of Long Beach State athletics for the 2025-26 season is sponsored by Marilyn Bohl.

Long Beach State hosted North Dakota State on March 10 where they suffered a 5-2 loss. Freshman Nina Sepulveda had two hits in the loss. Long Beach State will resume Big West play this weekend when they travel to UC Riverside for a three-game series starting Friday, March 13.

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North Dakota

Four area players land on North Dakota Division A all-state team

Published

16 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Four area players land on North Dakota Division A all-state team

GRAND FORKS — Four area athletes were selected to the North Dakota Division A all-state girls basketball team, which was released by the North Dakota High School Coaches Association on Tuesday.

The North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association will release all-state teams later this month.

Thompson’s Addison Sage led the way as a first team all-state pick, as well as receiving the division’s Outstanding Senior Athlete honor. Her coach, Jason Brend, was the Coach of the Year.

All-state second team choices from the area are Devils Lake junior Tylie Brodina, Four Winds-Minnewaukan sophomore Suri Gourd and Thompson senior Kya Hurst.

Sage, a 5-foot-6 guard, averaged 22.3 points per game, 3.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.2 steals per game. Sage has more than 1,900 career points and holds the Tommies’ all-time scoring record.

Brodina, a 5-8 guard, averaged 18.8 points and 2.6 steals per game. She shot 82 percent from the foul line and 32 percent from 3-point range.

Hurst, a 5-6 forward, averaged 16.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. She added 3.7 steals and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range. Hurst has scored more than 1,600 points and grabbed more than 840 rebounds in her career.

Gourd, a 5-8 guard, averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 4.4 steals per game. Gourd has more than 1,600 career points in her career with two more seasons to play.

Gourd led Four Winds-Minnewaukan from a 5-17 record last season to a 16-8 mark this year.

Miller has covered sports at the Grand Forks Herald since 2004 and was the state sportswriter of the year in 2019 (NSMA, NDAPSSA), 2022 (NSMA, NDAPSSA), 2024 (NDAPSSA) and 2025 (NDAPSSA).

His primary beat is UND football but also reports on a variety of UND sports and local preps.

He can be reached at (701) 780-1121, tmiller@gfherald.com or on Twitter at @tommillergf.

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North Dakota

Annabelle Weber

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Funeral Mass for Annabelle Weber, 95, of Dickinson will be 10:00 AM, Thursday, March 12, 2026 at Queen of Peace Church with Msgr. Thomas Richter celebrating. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Dickinson. Visitation will be from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson, with Rosary and Vigil service taking place at 6:00 PM. Annabelle passed away Friday, March 6, 2026 at St. Benedict’s Health Center, Dickinson. Annabelle S. Weber was born on December 8, 1930, in Killdeer, North Dakota, to Frank and Eva (Kowis) Schmalz. She grew up in Killdeer and graduated from Killdeer High School in 1947. At the age of 17, Annabelle began working at Zimbrich’s Department Store in Killdeer. She later moved to Dickinson, where she worked at S&L in retail sales and spent many years at Kessel’s Bridal Shop. While working at the Esquire Steak House, she met Gerald Weber, the love of her life. The couple was united in marriage on November 1, 1954, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dickinson, where they made their home and built their life together. Annabelle was a woman who loved staying busy and caring for her family and home. She enjoyed hunting and fishing, along with hobbies such as crafts, sewing, and gardening. She was well known for keeping an immaculate home and took great pride in caring for those around her. Faith was an important part of her life. She joined the Catholic Daughters in 1957 and was active in church circles, often helping with funeral dinners and parish gatherings. Annabelle’s greatest joy was her family. Annabelle is survived by her sons, Greg (Barbara) Weber of Grand Forks, Russ (Rhonda) Weber of Dickinson; daughter, Sharon (Tony) Allen of Andover, MN; nine grandchildren, Christi (Ryan), Tiffani (Tim), Shane (Kayla), Tonya (Adam), Samantha (Scott), Kevin, Tracey (Analisa), Stacie, Tyler; 15 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Eva Schmalz; husband, Gerald Weber; siblings, William (Evelyn) Schmalz, Elaine (John) Buresh, and Vernon (Dolores) Schmalz; and daughter-in-law, Coleen Weber (Krance). Remembrances and condolences can be shared at www.stevensonfuneralhome.com.

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