Red River Takes Down Central, Secures 2026 Cushman Cup

The second meeting between Grand Forks Red River and Grand Forks Central was just as exciting as the first, with the 2026 Cushman Cup once again coming down to a hard fought defensive battle.

It took nearly the entire first half for either team to find the back of the net. With less than 15 seconds remaining before halftime, Red River had a throw in from the sideline near the 15 yard line. The ball bounced off three different players before finding the foot of senior defender Easton Weisser, who capitalized with a rocket past the Central goalkeeper to give the Riders a 1 to 0 lead heading into halftime.

The second half started much like the first, with both teams playing strong defense and neither side finding many clear opportunities.

That changed when Grand Forks Central found Nabi Souleymane Ouedraogo streaking down the field with his speed. Ouedraogo broke free with only the goalkeeper between him and the goal, and he calmly placed a shot into the bottom right corner to tie the game at 1.

Red River answered quickly.

Less than five minutes after Central tied the game, a battle for the ball around the 40 yard line allowed Red River’s Layee Dukuly to break loose on a breakaway. Dukuly made no mistake, placing a perfect shot into the bottom left corner to put the Riders back in front, 2 to 1.

Both teams continued to battle and had opportunities down the stretch, but neither could find another goal as Red River held on for the 2 to 1 victory.

With the win, Red River takes both games against Central and secures the 2026 Cushman Cup. The victory also solidifies the Riders’ spot at state as they continue their five game winning streak.

Red River will host West Fargo Sheyenne on October 8 in its next matchup, while Central will host the West Fargo Packers on October 6.