KSFY News - Sioux Falls, SD News, Weather, SportsGridiron Blitz - Week 1

Gridiron Blitz - Week 1

Welcome to the Gridiron Blitz. Every week this blog will take an inside look at area prep football. Along with this blog, the Pigskin Preview website will release its weekly ratings on Monday. Gridiron Blitz will take a look at games and outstanding performances of the past week. In addition, the blog will present a "Focus on Five" feature in which we preview five area games every Wednesday. 

Weekly Highlights –  

Central Lyon/George-Little Rock Opens with 51-0 Win

Central Lyon/George-Little Rock opened the season with a 51-0 win over Sioux City West on Friday in Rock Rapids. It was a nice opening win for Central Lyon as they try to reverse a losing record of a year ago. Terron Gerdes (6-1, 235) helped lead the way with 5 TD runs and 91 yards rushing. Ryan McCarty (5-10, 165), added 120 yards on 16 carries. CL/G-LR had 410 to 63 total yards advantage. 

Players of the Week: Terron Gerdes, 91 yards rushing, 5 TDs; Ryan McCarty, 120 yards, 16 carries, both of Central Lyon/George-Little Rock

SD Prep Preview

As we prepare for kickoff in the South Dakota prep scene on Saturday, we take a look at the Pigskin Preview's preseason rankings with accompanying notes about each of the six classes in South Dakota.  

11AA

11AA Preview Notes

Sioux Falls Washington is our top-ranked team as they go for their third straight AA title. They have won 26 straight football games and now go after their 38^th state title (playoff, 2, and mythical titles, 35, combined). Coach Brian Hermansen's Warriors return 10 starters, including standout running back DeVonte Clay, who rushed for 1,284 yards and 11 TDs. However the key for the Warriors may lay with new quarterback Jon Hander and how the Washington defense transitions to new faces after the loss of eight defensive starters. A year ago, Washington allowed just 4.8 points per game and 141 yards in total offense. 11AA All-State performer Devon O'Farrell (82 tackles, 3 FR, 2 sacks) is one of the state's top linebackers will be back to lead the group.

~ Since the playoff era began in 1981, O'Gorman has called the DakotaDome its second home. They have won an 11AA-best eight playoff titles (11A West Central owns state record of 11 playoff titles) and appeared in a state-record (all classes) 14 playoff championships. They will make a run at the title with quarterback Connor Schaefbauer and 11AA All State performer Sam Steffl, who had 1,530 yards rushing and 18 TDs. O'Gorman will have a stout defense and will push Washington hard.

~ Eyes will be perched on the explosive passing combination of Alex Schultz and Trey Naasz of Sioux Falls Lincoln. Naasz had 93 receptions a year ago and will likely break 2,000 yards receiving this fall (1,668). While Schultz will count on Naasz, Lincoln's offense also has the dynamic Josh Kunzman and all-state tight end Scott Mulder. They also have a talented offensive front line, including two players that didn't play for them a year ago. If the Patriots defense can consistently make stops, they may rekindle the championship glory of 2008.

 ~ Seeing double? Mitchell opponents may need to take a double take when they play the Kernels in the fall. Twins Justin and Jason Greenway will be a dynamic group of twins. Jason Greenway, who rushed for 1,114 yards and 17 TDs yards, and Justin Greenway, All-ESD and 11AA All State, lead an experienced Mitchell team that returns quarterback Brent Havlik and the defense will also feature Dylon Hart, who had 76 tackles.

~ Sioux Falls Roosevelt led by Andrew Smith could also cause some significant problems for opponents this season. Smith had 608 rushing yards and 11 TDs and also played quarterback where he had 1,107 yards passing with seven TDs. With the return of starting quarterback Scott Tyler, the Rough Riders could make Smith even more dangerous as a receiver/running back. It is a team that has five starters back on both offense and defense.

~ Then there is Brookings, just 2-7 a year ago, but return the explosive Honorable Mention All-State performer Matt Thomas along with quarterback Landon Busch. They could surprise.

 11A

11A Preview Notes

Dell Rapids looks like the clear favorite in South Dakota's deepest class. There may be 8-10 teams that could claim a top spot in the top five. The Quarriers will go for its second title in three seasons with the most dynamic and talented backfield in 11A. The return of All-State performers Cole Langer and defensive back Tanner Munk, as well as the explosiveness of Channing Barber at quarterback and his twin brother Zach at running back, makes this team dangerous. They just might go unbeaten again. Langer, just a junior, is a bulldog and one of the state's best players after 102 tackles and 1236 yards rushing with 24 TDs.

~Nick Mears of Milbank is one of the rare athletes that can be a devastating player running or throwing. He had both 1,000 yards rushing and passing a year ago. Mears had 1,653 passing yards and 21 TDs and 1090 rushing yards and nine TDs. He also was all-state as punter with a 36.1 yards average. In total, he had 2,743 combined yards and 30 combined TDs. 

~ Like O'Gorman, the DakotaDome seems to be West Central's destination point year after year after year. West Central has South Dakota's strongest championship pedigree. Since 1993, the Trojans have won a state-record (across all classes) 11 titles and appeared in 12 championship games (second to 11AA O'Gorman with 14). However, Kent Mueller's troops haven't been in a title game since 2007, even as the Trojans have won 44 of 51 games. In the last three seasons, they have lost three playoffs games by a combined 10 points. They return 10 defensive starters and will look to unseat rival Dell Rapids.

11B Notes

Mobridge-Pollock will try and return to the title game behind the exploits of one of the dynamic and explosive talents in receiver Bailey Friesz. A year ago they lost in the final moments of the title game to Flandreau and lost standout quarterback Dexter Netterville. However, we have made St. Thomas More, led by All-State quarterback Jack Sullivan, as our preseason number one.

~Flandreau, who suffered heavy losses to graduation, will be in the mix with one of the best players in the class in QB Joe Parlsey. A four-year starter, Parsley had 1,508 yards rushing and 29 TDs along with 1,073 passing yards and 15 TDs in the past two seasons.

~After two straight titles in 2007 and 2008, Tri-Valley has the pieces to make another run at the championship. Winner is also well-stocked and it has significant championship lineage with four titles and 11 appearances (11A, 11B combined) in the DakotaDome.

~McCook Central will be loaded and feature one of the state's premier two-way players in Jordan Wolf. They also return Shayne Gottlob and Dominic Blindert.  

9AA Notes

Defending champion Bridgewater/Emery/Ethan has won five 9-man and have appeared in seven overall title games. They have several big holes to fill with the loss of standout All-State running back Jordan O'Connor and three other All-State performers. Fullback Anthony Huber returns to give them a running force and a physical presence on defense.  

~ Howard has the horses this season to make a run at its second (2009) 9AA title, third overall (11B, 2004). They have a dynamite backfield featuring running back Ethan Cavigielli and quarterback Donovan Kullnat.

~Gettysburg/Hoven is a new co-op and should again be a dangerous group. Gettysburg has been in seven state championship games (2 9AA, 5 9A).

~ Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central should contend behind the explosive talents of Trevor Kenobbie, who had 11 rushing TDs a year ago.

9A Notes

Canistota, making the most up from 9B, is our top-ranked team. They are coming off one of the dominant seasons in 9-man history (12-0). Canistota features standout Evan Schroeder and Troy Hofer and look to be the top team in the class.They will be pushed by Hanson, who is vying for its third straight 9A title and fourth straight overall 9-man title. However the loss of Pierce Smith and others will be hard to replace. They do return Reid Smith, another in a long line of explosive Hanson backs.

~ Hamlin, which has won four titles (all in 11B), will go for its first nine-man championships behind the exploits of a pair of outstanding performers. Tyler Taschner, a lanky 6-5 quarterback, threw for 1,209 yards a year ago with 13 TDs and rushed for 486 yards with seven TDs. Tauscher also had 69 tackles as a linebacker.  The Chargers also have Mason Leiseth, a junior tight end who had 374 yards receiving with four TDs but was a devastating defensive end with 66 tackles (30 solos) and 17 sacks, plus 3 fumble recoveries. 

~ Corsica/Stickney, which averaged 41.4 points per game a year ago, including six games over 40 points, is loaded. Quarterback Adam Borman had a combined 17 TDs (passing and running) while fullback Wylie DeLange scored 10 TDs and was a physical presence on defense with his 73 stops. Wideout Ryan Honslo had eight scores plus three interceptions on defense.

9B

 Avon has advanced to six 9-man championship tilts and own four titles. Coach Tom Culver, one of the best in the game, returns some outstanding players in the class in quarterback Nick Poppe and running backs Jackson Powers and  Duffy Ducheneaux which makes the Pirates our preseason #1. Even the loss of All-State performer Derek Cihak doesn't distract observers from projecting big things for this team that was eliminated in the semifinals a year ago.

~ Despite the loss of one of the state's best-ever quarterbacks in Cory Jacobson, Vyborg/Hurley looks like one of the top teams in the class. They return a pair of all-state performers in the explosive Matt Jensen (five return TDs) and wide receiver Dennis DeNeui (927 receiving yards, 18 combined TDs, 16 receiving). 

~Veteran head coach Doug Ruesink's Castlewood squad will go after its second title with a potentially dangerous offense, keyed by talented senior quarterback Carver Ching. Operating Castlewood's I-Pro-Spread offense, Ching threw for 15 TDs and 900 yards a year ago. HM All-State performer Jordan Feyerisen will be back at fullback where he accumulated 550 yards rushing and had six TDs last season.

~ Last season, Taylor and Tyson Zemlicka led Waverly-South Shore to an 8-1 record but lost in the first round of the playoffs. Tyson Zemlicka, named 9B All-State as a wide receiver, had 36 receptions for 862 yards and 13 TDs. His brother was HM All-State as he completed 70-of-111 passes for 1,376 yards and 20 TDs while rushing for 495 yards and 6 TDs.

By Dan Genzler, Pigskin Preview