DGF Ground Game Secures 8th Straight Section Title
Three running backs combined for 268 yards as the Rebels defeated Perham 26-20 Friday night, qualifying for the Class 3A state playoffs.
By Samira Khalil ·
Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton secured its eighth consecutive Section 8 title on Friday night, defeating Perham 26-20 at the Fargodome. The victory guarantees the Rebels a spot in the Minnesota Class 3A state football playoffs. The win came after a physical contest that saw DGF rely heavily on its rushing attack to control the clock and the scoreboard.
The Rebels have reached the section championship game for eight straight seasons. Their path to the title began in mid-September when they defeated Perham 43-21. That early matchup featured Jace Baumgartner rushing for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Friday’s game marked Perham’s only loss of the season before this final contest.
DGF head coach Tony Soderberg noted that his team prioritizes physical play and weight room training. He described the matchup as a dogfight, crediting Perham for coming to play while noting that DGF players could keep their pads on until Monday. The coaching staff emphasized a straightforward approach to the game.
Three DGF running backs accounted for all of the team’s rushing yards and all but one of its touchdowns. Baumgartner led the group with 99 yards and two scores. Isaac Leiran added 87 yards and a touchdown, while Dawson Johnson contributed 82 yards and a score. The triple-threat backfield overwhelmed Perham’s defense throughout the four quarters.
The Rebels built their lead early. After stopping Perham on fourth down, Dawson Johnson ran 22 yards up the middle. Two plays later, Baumgartner burst for a 12-yard touchdown to give DGF a 7-0 lead. Late in the first half, a 41-yard pass from Luke Krueger to Michael Whitney set up Baumgartner’s second score, putting the game at 14-0 before halftime.
Perham responded in the third quarter with a 12-yard pass from Brody Blume to Tiegan Detloff, cutting the deficit to 14-7. DGF immediately reasserted control when Johnson scored an 18-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Perham narrowed the gap to 20-14 on a 15-yard pass to Jayden Bormann with 8:01 remaining.
Leiran ran for an eight-yard touchdown with 2:50 left to seal the win for DGF. Perham recovered an onside kick with 17 seconds remaining but was called for a false start, ending their drive. Blume added a one-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds left, but it did not change the outcome. DGF now awaits the state bracket reveal this weekend to determine its next opponent, which will be played next Friday at either Alexandria or Monticello.
