One of North Dakota’s top college prospects has powered North Prairie to a 3-0 start in 9-man football

ROLETTE, N.D. — North Prairie quarterback Nicholas Mears likes to name a quarterback sneak.

The middle snapping Mears the ball is Nate Tastad, a 6-foot-5, 260-pound junior who already has a university soccer scholarship provide from North Dakota State and has visits deliberate to UND, Minnesota and Kansas State.

“There’s nothing higher than calling a quarterback sneak and having 8 yards to run proper behind him,” Mears mentioned.

Tastad, Mears and working again Blake Mattson lead a North Prairie group that is off to a 3-0 begin and now ranked No. 5 within the newest North Dakota 9-man state ballot.

“It is superior to play with him,” Mears mentioned. “He is an excellent chief.”

In a 48-22 win over North Border final Friday, Tastad helped clear the best way for North Prairie, a co-op between Rolla and Rolette, to have two massive dashing performances.

Mears, a 6-2, 190-pound second-year starter, ran 18 occasions for 177 yards and 5 touchdowns, whereas Mattson had 19 carries for 149 yards and a rating.

Via three video games, Mears has 50 carries for 522 yards and 11 touchdowns. Mattson has 49 carries for 468 yards and two scores.

A 12 months in the past, Mears missed two video games and Tastad missed three video games with accidents. North Prairie coach Joshua Keller mentioned these accidents pressured quite a few gamers to step up into new roles. That have is paying off for the Cougars this 12 months.

Extensive receiver and defensive again Mitchell Leas is one other weapon for the Cougars, who play Benson County this Friday.

“I believe now we have among the greatest weapons in all of 9-man,” Tastad mentioned. “Now we have an excellent quarterback and working again. When our broad receivers are given alternatives to make performs, they’ve completed that, too.”

The Cougars had been 6-4 final season, shedding to Bottineau within the second spherical of the state playoffs. North Prairie has had a successful season 10 of the final 11 years together with a state runner-up displaying in 2015.

“North Prairie has a powerful soccer custom going again to when it was simply Rolla and Rolette to have aggressive groups,” Keller mentioned. “So far as expectations, we speak day by day about children ought to be asking questions on what they will do to assist our group win on Friday. I do not look too far forward.”