Okay guys, so yesterday I got totally sidetracked trying to find out who’s gonna rule North Dakota high school football this fall. Seriously, everyone’s buzzing about it, but actual rankings? Harder to find than a quiet moment during calving season!
Here’s how this rabbit hole went down:
The Starting Point: Pure Frustration
First things first, I just wanted a clear picture of the top contenders for 2024. Seems simple, right? Wrong. Jumped onto the usual sports sites everyone talks about. Big mistake. Found tons of talk about last year’s champs (which is fine, I guess), predictions from folks who maybe watched one game on TV, and articles that felt stale as last week’s donuts. Couldn’t find anything official-looking for this year’s top teams. Felt like chasing my tail.
Got annoyed. Like, coffee-spilling annoyed. Started clicking on every high school football forum thread I could find across the state. Reddits, local FB groups for Minot, Fargo, Bismarck, you name it. Info overload city! But mostly just passionate fans yelling about their team being the best, buried under arguments about coaching or who lost key players. Mixed in there were whispers – “heard Century is stacked again,” “West Fargo better watch out,” “Don’t sleep on [insert team here].” Helpful hints, maybe, but zero consensus. Still felt like guesswork.
The Lightbulb Moment & Digging Deeper
Remembered something vague about state associations sometimes putting out early lists. Usually that’s later, but desperation breeds ideas. Headed straight for the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) website. Dived into their football section, news archives, anything labeled “2024.” Found schedules? Yes. Found playoff formats? Sure. Found the actual rankings I was dying for? Nope. Nada. Zip. Just info about how they rank teams later on. Big sigh.
Almost gave up. Decided to brute-force it. Searched Google like a madman, adding “NDHSAA,” “official,” “preseason,” whatever I could think of. Then, buried a few pages in… bingo! Stumbled on what looked like an NDHSAA preview document or internal memo somebody must’ve shared. Not fancy, probably meant for coaches or media, but there it was: a clear list mentioning who they saw as the leading pack heading into the 2024 season based on returning players, coaching, program strength – the whole deal.
The Big Reveal (At Least According to My Digging!)
Honestly, this felt like finding buried treasure after digging all day. The list was crisp, no messing around, just the names. So, drumroll please… based on that official-ish document I finally unearthed, the top 5 teams everyone in North Dakota should be watching in 2024 are looking like:
- Century High School Patriots (Bismarck): These guys are almost always in the mix. Sounds like they’re reloaded and ready to run it back.
- West Fargo Packers (West Fargo): Serious power program. Word is their line this year is gonna be terrifying.
- Fargo South Bruins (Fargo): Speed kills, right? Looks like the Bruins have got plenty and some key guys back on D.
- Minot High Magicians (Minot): Heard they got a QB who can sling it and a coach who knows how to win the close ones.
- Bismarck High Demons (Bismarck): Never count out the Demons. Tough as nails, apparently got a bunch of starters returning hungry.
Of course, this is all pre-season. Paper tigers get exposed real quick when the pads start crunching. But, this list? This feels like the ground truth everyone was scrambling to find. It matches the loudest whispers but comes stamped with way more authority.
Parting Shot
Phew. Honestly, that took way longer than I thought it would! Felt like detective work. Funny how the simplest questions can lead you down the deepest online holes. Just wanted to know who was on top. Now we (kinda, sorta) do. Good luck to all the teams out there. Hope you all stay healthy and give us fans one heck of a season!