KSFY News - Sioux Falls, SD News, Weather, SportsGridiron Blitz #7

As the midpoint of the season passes and the playoffs loom in a few weeks, it is time to look at what "I think I know" about South Dakota prep football.

Sioux Falls Roosevelt remains top-ranked and the best team in 11AA, despite key injuries in its backfield. O'Gorman is right there with the Rough Riders after recording four straight wins since  a 19-14 loss to the Rough Riders could have gone the Knights' way if a late drive had resulted in a TD, rather than turning the ball over on downs in the red zone.

Lincoln and Washington are two other Sioux Falls teams that seemed poised for a long playoff run. As the season opened, teams like Mitchell and Yankton hoped to crack the Sioux Falls hold on 11AA. After Roosevelt's 41-0 defeat of Yankton last week in Yankton, it appears the race comes down to the four city schools. If Mitchell has something to say, they can do it this week when they host Lincoln.

In 11A, West Central leads the way in a class that will likely be a battle between the Trojans, second-ranked and defending champion Dell Rapids and #3 and unbeaten Dakota Valley with #5 Flandreau lurking.

In 11B, Tri-Valley and Winner appear on a path for a showdown. The two squads met in the 2009 11B final, won by the Warriors, 12-6. #3 Groton is 6-0 may have something to say about the championship before this season ends. Tri-Valley has ended two long winning streaks (Flandreau, 14 games; and Dell Rapids, 15 games), by making plays down the stretch of those games. Meanwhile, Winner has been dominating, allowing a total of three points to five South Dakota teams this season. They have recorded four shutouts and feature a powerful running attack. Groton features a strong running attack led by Ryland Strom and a balanced offensive attack directed by quarterback Matt Thorson, who has been one of the top players in the class.

In 9AA, Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan is the defending champion and may be tested by unbeaten and #2 Leola/Frederick. However BEE's only loss this season was to Canistota, 34-26, and the Seahawks will be tough to knock off, especially with its strong rushing attack led by Kendall Lindemann. 

Canistota looks like the top 9-man team in South Dakota. They own a 17-game winning streak and have been dominating in 9A. #2 Irene/Wakonda and #3 Colman/Egan are both unbeaten and feature balanced offenses that can score. One team to watch is #4 Wall, which knocked off previously unbeaten Harding County a week ago. With running back Chavis Shull, who has nearly 1,000 yards (993) rushing in just five games, they are a powerful offense.

In 9B, Avon has rolled to a 6-0 record behind a strong rushing game, engineered by Nick Poppe. A team to watch in 9B is Waverly/South Shore which features Taylor and Tyson Zemlicka along with their cousin Brent. They are 5-0 and have rolled through opponents with an explosive attack that averages 55 points per game.

Points Ringing Up on Fields Across South Dakota

In South Dakota prep football this season, points are going up on the scoreboard at a rapid pace. In week five, 35 teams scored at least 40 points, 17 had 50 or more, seven broke the 60-point mark and three scored over 70 points while White River has the two highest point totals of the season with 84 and 82 (earlier). Thirteen teams were shutout in week five. Through six weeks of the season, a total of 178 teams have scored 40 or more points in a game. Seventy-nine teams have surpassed 50 points and 26 have reached 60 or more. Six teams have bettered 70 points while White River, has gone over 80, twice.  A total of 105 teams have been shut out.

Is Sioux Falls Dominating 11AA Football? Apparently.

On chat rooms, newspaper columns and nearly everywhere across the state, conversations about Sioux Falls dominance in 11AA has many believing that another class is needed. The proposal to move to a 11AAA class  seems likely to happen. Based on the results this season, the momentum for such a change is picking up. Sioux Falls teams are expected to dominate the playoffs with two city schools most likely to end up in the 11AA championship at the DakotaDome.

Here's why:  In the eight games pitting the Sioux Falls schools against each other, the point differential has been just 227 to 195. However, in games between Sioux Falls schools and teams outside the city shows extraordinary dominance by Sioux Falls teams. City schools own a 16-0 record with a 728 to 114 point differential this season. Counting the past two years, SF schools have won 46 of 48 games and registered 14 shutouts. Sioux Falls schools have recorded 40 or more points 28 times against opponents away from the city. The two losses a year ago include Rapid City Stevens' 20-7 win over O'Gorman in week four and Watertown's 29-13 victory over Lincoln in week six. Washington's last loss to a team from outside Sioux Falls dates back to a 17-14 setback to Watertown in September 2006. For Roosevelt, the Rough Riders last loss to a non-Sioux Falls team was Brandon Valley, 36-7, in October of 2009.

Breaking down the numbers for games played in 2011 –

Sioux Falls Roosevelt (6-0)

2-0 vs. SF, 64-43 points differential

4-0 (two shutouts) vs. non SF, 160-24 points differential

Sioux Falls Lincoln (5-1)

1-1 vs. SF, 82-65 points differential

4-0 (two shutouts) vs. non SF, 240-34 points differential

Three games of 60 or more points against non-SF teams

Sioux Falls O'Gorman (5-1)

1-1 vs. SF, 38-26 points differential

4-0 (one shutout) vs. non SF, 182-28 points differential

Sioux Falls Washington (4-2)

0-2 vs. SF, 43-61 points differential

4-0 (one shutout) vs. non SF, 178-28 points differential

Canistota Extends Winning Streak to 17 Games

The Canistota Hawks, led by head coach Lenny Schroeder, owns the longest winning streak in South Dakota prep football at 17 games. After cruising to the 9B title a year ago, the Hawks moved up to 9A in 2011. In four wins this season, Canistota has outscored opponents, 238-47, with three shutouts in earning the #1 ranking. During its 12-0 season of a year ago, they outscored opponents, 627-38, including 230-8 in the playoffs. In the past 17 games, they have recorded 10 shutouts and scored more than 50 points 11 times. In those 17 games, they own an 865 to 85 scoring advantage. In that span, 9AA #1 Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan is the only team to stay within eight points of Canistota, which has recorded shutouts in eight of its last 12 games. Canistota's last loss occurred they were Canistota/Bridgewater in 2009. During a 7-3 season, Canistota/Bridgewater fell to Emery/Ethan (now Bridgewater/Emery/Ethan), 28-6, in the playoffs (Nov. 2).  

Big Matchups This Week

This week features a number of must-watch games, including #2 Dell Rapids hosting #3 Dakota Valley in 11A.  In 11AA, the key matchup is in Mitchell where the #5 Kernels host #3 Lincoln. 9B #1 Avon will host 9A #5 Corsica/Stickney. In 9A top-ranked Canistota welcomes 4-1 Chester. 9B #5 Langford travels to face 9AA #2 Leola/Frederick. 9B #4 Sully Buttes will host 9AA Gettysburg/Hoven in a central South Dakota rivalry matchup. 11B #1 West Central will host Minnesota Class AA #10  Jackson County Central in a border battle. In Minnesota, a pair of 5-0 and ranked teams will face off when #4 Hills/Beaver Creek travels to meet #1 Ellsworth/Edgerton.

17 Teams Remain Unbeaten

Last week, nine previously unbeaten teams lost for the first time, including several ranked in the top five of their respective classes. As the season moves to week seven, 17 teams remain unbeaten, including seven in 11-man and 10 in 9-man. In 11AA, only top-ranked Roosevelt is unbeaten through six games. In 11A, three teams remain unbeaten including #3 Dakota Valley, Little Wound, and #4 Todd County. In 11B, there are three teams without a loss including #1 Tri-Valley, #2 Winner, and #3 Groton Area. In 9AA, only #2 Leola/Frederick hasn't suffered a loss. In 9A, five teams are left without a loss including #1 Canistota, #3 Irene/Wakonda, #5 Colman/Egan, Wall and Faith. In 9B, four are unbeaten including #1 Avon, #2 Waverly/South Shore, #4 Sully Buttes, #5 Langford.

Power Rankings

In 11AA, top-ranked Sioux Falls Roosevelt leads with 58.50 power points while #3 Lincoln is second at 57.167 and #2 O'Gorman, third, 55.667.  11A is led by #2 Dell Rapids with 56.00 points. #3 Dakota Valley is second at 55.8 while #1 West Central is fourth in its own region and eighth overall at 50.667   points. 11B is led by #1 Tri Valley with 59.8 points followed by #4 St. Thomas More with 59.00. Groton is third at 56.167. In 9AA, #1 Bridgewater/Emery/Ethan leads power points rankings with 56.00 and #2 Leola/Frederick is second with 54.00. 9A is led by #4 Wall and #5 Corsica/Stickney with 61.80 points while #1 Canistota is third with 59.00. #2 Waverly/South Shore leads 9B in power points with 62.00 while #4 Sully Buttes is second at 60.2 and #1 Avon is fourth with 58.667 just behind #3 Viborg/Hurley at 59.20 to lead region 2.

Coaching Milestones

Head coach Steve Keuter recorded his 260^th career win, the most victories by an active coach and second all-time to Yankton Max Hawk, who finished with 284. Keuter has a 260-73-1 record. Jeff Van Leur of Bridgewater/Emery Ethan won his 200^th game and now stands 200-93, .682. Irene/Wakonda's Brett Mutchelknaus won his 150^th career game this past weekend and now stands 150-115, .562 and 138-89, 6.01 at Irene/Wakonda. Lincoln's Aaron Beaver reached his 90th career win in a win over Brandon Valley on Sept. 23 and sits 91-46, .664. overall. He goes for his 50^th win at Lincoln this Friday against Mitchell. His career mark at Lincoln is 49-41, .544. Sisseton's Scott Hagen hit his 90^th career win in a win over Madison on Sept. 9. He is 92-51, .643 overall. Flandreau's Chad Stadem will go for career win 60 this weekend against Sioux Valley. He currently stands 59-27, .686. Canistota's Lenny Schroeder has improved to 99-66, .600, and will go for career win 100 when the Hawks host Chester Area on Friday. Earlier this year, Jeremy Tostenson of Milbank his 60 career wins and is 61-33, .650. Dakota Valley's Jason Jund picked up his 50^th career win in a 40-0 win over Lennox on Sept. 16 and now sits at 51-30, .630, in his career.                                   

Review of this week's highlights

11AA

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. Roosevelt (6-0) 2. O'Gorman (5-1) 3. Lincoln (5-1) 4. Washington (4-2) 5. Yankton (5-1)

#1 Roosevelt (6-0) went on the road and picked up its 6^th straight win with a 41-0 decision of #5 Yankton. Andrew Smith, who has missed time due to injury, return and scored four TDs, two rushing and two receiving to lead the Riders, who had 348 yards total offense against the Bucks. Smith had 56 yards rushing and 85 yards receiving. Quarterback Scott Tyler completed 13 of 21 passes for 171 yards with two TDs passing and one rushing. Notes: The Rough Riders have put together a 224 to 67 scoring advantage over opponents and have scored at least 35 points in five of its six wins. Tyler now has completed 83-of-125 passes for 1,048 yards and 10 TDs. Angulo has 28 receptions for 504 yards and six TDs.

#2 O'Gorman (5-1) hammered Brookings, 42-7. After the Bobcats put up an early TD, the Knights ran off 42 straight points. Adam Juhl had a 50-yard TD reception (two catches for 78 yards) and a pair of interceptions, including one for a TD.  Flynn Donelan led the rushing attack with 16 carries for 122 yards and two TDs (2, 45). Sam Steffl added 109 yards on 21 carries. Connor Schaefbauer had a TD run (1 yard) and TD passing on 3-5 throwing for 88 yards. Notes: O'Gorman, which has won three straight, has a 220 to 54 scoring edge over opponents this season. Steffl now has 786 yards and eight TDs on the season and has 2,209 career rushing yards. Donelan has 595 yards rushing with a team-high 10 TDs.

#3 Lincoln (5-1) defeated Sturgis, 75-0. Quarterback Alex Schultz had three TDs in the first quarter and the Patriots starters sat down after one quarter and leading 42-0. It is the third game Lincoln has scored over 60 points this season. Caden Quintanilla had 105 yards rushing and two TDs while Kevin Diaz also scored a pair of TDs. Notes: Lincoln has rolled up a 306 to 115 scoring margin. They are averaging an 11AA best 51.0 points per game. The Patriots have scored at least 37 points in five of six games. They have broken the 60 point mark three times, and have scored 176 points combined in the past three games. Quarterback Alex Schultz has completed 102 of 165 passes for 1,766 yards and 25 TDs with just three interceptions. He has thrown TDs four or more TDs in five of six games and at least three TDs in every game. Schultz has passing yardage games of 393, 355 and 355 this season. Both Trey Naasz and Josh Kunzman have caught 34 passes. Kunzman has 703 yards and 12 TDs while Naasz has 389 yards receiving with five TDs. Nick Goeman has 20 receptions for 425 yards and four TDs. Caden Quintanilla has rushed for 437 yards and four TDs while Kevin Diaz has five rushing TDs.

#4 Washington (4-2) defeated Pierre, 42-15, as running back Davonte Clay had 146 yards on 14 carries and TD runs of 2 and 78 yards. Jon Hander was 8-of-11 for 213 yards and three TDs. Nate Gerry had 3 catches for 78 yards and TDs of 15 and 40 yards. Chris Parker returned a kickoff 89 yards for a TD. Parker now has KO TD returns in back-to-back weeks. The Warriors, who have won three straight, own a 221 to 89 scoring advantage over its opponents. On the season Clay has 552 yards rushing with nine TDs (10 overall). Junior quarterback Jon Hander has completed 63-of-98 passes for 891 yards and 9 TDs with just three interceptions. Nate Gerry has 19 receptions for 351 yards and six TDs.

#5 Mitchell (5-1) defeated Rapid City Central, 34-23, rallying in the fourth quarter. Justin Greenway's 82-yard  punt return for a TD with 2:23 remaining put the Kernels back on top. A pick six (25-yard TD return) by Dylan Hart with 57 seconds to play sealed Mitchell's win. Jason Greenway, who had 85 yards rushing, had a 73-yard punt return and a 32-yard fumble return for TDs. Hart finished with 18 tackles, two sacks and the TD interception return. Rapid City Central had 245 yards rushing and three TDs from running back Taylor Houchin, who also kicked a 48-yard field goal. Notes: Jason Greenway of Mitchell has 799 yards and seven combined TDs. He has four games over 100 yards (130, 244, 145, 104, and 91). 

Others

Yankton (5-1) lost for the first time this season – a 41-0 setback to #1 Roosevelt. Notes: Quarterback Michael Rucker has completed 68-of-113 passes for 913 yards and has six TD passes. Fitzsimmons has 56 carries for 528 yards and seven TDs while also catching 14 passes for 254 yards and two TDs. Schroeder has 36 carries for 302 yards and five TDs rushing while grabbing 15 passes for 211 yards and a pair of TDs.

Aberdeen Central (2-4) defeated Watertown, 19-14. It was the second straight week that AC, which led 19-0, won by that score.  

Brandon Valley (3-3) defeated Huron (2-4), 30-0. Trevor Crow rushed for 131 yards while quarterback Chase Marso completed 14-of-28 passes for 155 yards and four TD passes. Three of the TD passes were caught by Matt Vanderberg, who had four catches and 78 yards receiving. Tyler Faulks had 65 yards rushing for Huron. Notes: On the season, Marso has completed 101 of 201 passes for 1,347 yards and 16 TDs.

11A

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. West Central (5-1) 2. Dell Rapids (4-1) 3. Dakota Valley (5-0) 4. Todd County (5-0) 5. Belle Fourche (4-1)  

#1 West Central (5-1) cruised to a 48-20 win over Lennox (0-5) as Devon Blaine scored three TDs and had 89 yards rushing. Dalton Kuehl added 119 yards on the ground and also caught a 44-yard TD pass from Connor Miles. The Trojans finished with 344 yards in total offense. Notes: The Trojans potent ground attack has been led by Blaine with 745 yards rushing and eight TDs while Kuehl has provided 530 yards and five scores rushing.

#2 Dell Rapids (4-1) recorded a 42-21 victory against Tea. After falling behind 7-0, Dell Rapids responded with 42 unanswered points. Zachary Barber rushed for 214 yards on eight carries and had 47, and 80 yard TD runs. DR had 360 yards rushing, including 101 from Channing Barber. Notes:  Zachary Barber leads the Quarriers with 41 carries for 595 yards and six TDs. His twin brother, Channing, has 400 yards rushing at quarterback.

#3 Dakota Valley (5-0) picked up a 36-0 win over Vermillion as Tanner Lambert rushed 15 times for 204 yards. Dakota Valley held the Tanagers to 16 yards in total offense.. They have outscored opponents 196-30. Notes: Tanner Lambert has 63 carries for 596 yards and seven TDs. Quarterback Brock Bergman has completed 29-of-51 passes for 535 yards and seven TDs.

#4 Todd County (5-0) remained unbeaten with a 14-6 decision over Bennett County.

#5 Belle Fourche (4-1) defeated Pine Ridge, 61-26.

Others

Milbank (3-2) dropped a 28-7 decision to Sisseton (3-2) and fell out of the rankings. Nick Mears had a 14-yard TD run.

Harrisburg (3-3) lost its third straight in a 22-20 decision to Spearfish as a field goal went wide in the final minute. The loss dropped the Tigers out of the top-five.

Vermillion (2-4) lost a 36-0 decision to #3 Dakota Valley (5-0) and had just 14 yards in total offense.  

Tea Area (3-2) dropped a 42-21 decision to #2 Dell Rapids (4-1).

Sisseton (3-2) rolled to a 28-7 victory against #4 Milbank (3-2) as Casey Goodhart had 76 yards rushing and a TD. Brandon Labatte scored from 13 and 11 yards while the Sisseton defense shut down Nick Mears and Milbank's rushing offense  by holding the Bulldogs to 72 yards rushing.

11B

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1.Tri Valley (5-0) 2. Winner (6-0) 3. Groton (6-0) 4. St. Thomas More (4-1) 5. Flandreau (4-1)

#1 Tri-Valley (5-0) did not play. They have outscored foes, 186-40, and have ended Flandreau's 14-game winning streak and Dell Rapids', then ranked #1 in 11A, streak at 15 games.

#2 Winner (6-0) defeated Mobridge, 42-3, led by Ben Connot who had a 56-yard TD run and a 44 yard punt return for scores. Winner, which had 344 yards in total offense, received two TD runs and a TD pass from Tanner Fritz. Notes: Winner has averaged 261.5 yards rushing per game with 1,569 yards rushing and 21 TDs. The Warriors back average 6.73 yards per carry. In term of points, Winner has averaged 33.5 points per game and owns an overall 201 to 9 point differential with their opponents. Just one South Dakota team, Mobridge, has scored this season and it was a field goal. The only TD allowed was scored by Valentine, Neb., in a 26-6 win by Winner. The Warriors have recorded 19 sacks, including six by Taylor Haley and have 10 interceptions including six by Tanner Fritz. The Warriors also have six fumble recoveries and two blocked punts. The offense is led by running back Kyle Bertram with 520 yards on 44 carries with four TDs. Ben Connot, who has 10 combined TDs to lead Winner, has 314 yards rushing on 47 carries while Austin Calhoon has 50 carries for 327 yards and four TDs.

#3 Groton (6-0) won its six straight game with a 21-7 decision against Britton/Hecla on Friday.  Groton has a 170-47 scoring advantage against its opponents. Just one team has scored over nine points against the Tigers (Sisseton).

#4 St. Thomas More (4-1) rolled past Custer (4-1), 34-6 on Thursday. Quarterback Jake Sullivan led the way by completing 4-of-7 passes for 97 yards and two TDs and had 20 carries for 168 yards and a TD. Taton Bolton added 25 carries for 110 yards and a TD as the Cavaliers had 319 yards rushing against Custer. This season, St. Thomas More owns a 145-83 scoring margin over opponents. Notes: Overall, St. Thomas More is averaging 29.0 points per game and 267.4 yards rushing and 13 TDs. Sullivan has completed 35-of-71 passes for 726 yards and eight TDs with just one interception. He also has 61 carries for 377 yards and three TDs. Bolton has 341 yards rushing and three TDs while Newt Johnson has 313 yards rushing and four TDs.

#5 Flandreau (4-1) defeated Garretson (3-2), 42-6. After its off week, the defending champions rolled past a strong Garretson team.

Others

Custer (4-1) fell to #4 St. Thomas More, 34-6.

Garretson (3-2) lost to Flandreau, 42-6. Brady Bonte had 112 yards rushing.

Wagner (4-1) lost to McCook Central/Montrose, 27-0.

McCook Central/Montrose (5-1) defeated Wagner, 27-0, behind the play of Andy Kappenman, who had 177 yards rushing on 19 carries and TD runs of 1, 6 and 13 yards. Quarterback Gavin Gassman had 119 yards rushing and a six-yard TD run. They own a 161-29 advantage over opponents.   

Mobridge Pollock (3-3) lost to #2 Winner, 42-3.

9AA

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (4-1) 2. Leola/Frederick (5-0) 3. Clark/Willow Lake (4-1) 4. Kimball/White Lake (5-1) 5. Deubrook Area (4-1)

#1 Bridgewater/Emery/Ethan (4-1) defeated Howard, 50-14, as Kendall Lindemann rushed 32 times for 238 yards and two TDs. Anthony Huber added three TDs and had 178 yards rushing. Jace Connor passed for two TDs. The Seahawks have been dominating with a 212-72 scoring edge over opponents.  

#2 Leola/Frederick (5-0) defeated Faulkton, 22-12.  They have outscored foes, 214-60.  

#3 Clark-Willow Lake (4-1) defeated Tri-State, 48-28, as Jeff McGraw rushed seven times for 127 yards and two TDs. Sam Lindgren was 6-of-9 passing for 187 yards and two TDs and Torrey Kolder had 102 yards receiving and a TD.

#4 Kimball/White Lake's (5-1) defeated 9A #2 Corsica/Stickney, 30-14. K/WL had 214 rushing yards and 302 total yards, led by Trevor Reinsch's 83 yards rushing. Jacob Kirsch had a pair of TDs, including a 32-yard receiving score.

#5 Deubrook Area (4-1) defeated DeSmet/Iroquois, 57-14.  They have won four of five and own a 175-78 scoring advantage over its opponents.

Others

Great Plains Lutheran (4-1) lost to Wilmot, 57-0 and dropped out of the rankings. 

Gettysburg/Hoven (3-2) defeated Northwestern Area, 25-6. The Battlers have won two straight and outscored opponents, 134-106, on the season.

Andes Central (2-2) defeated Scotland, 32-14.

Tri-State (3-1) lost to Clark/Willow Lake, 48-28. Kolby Jackson had three running TDs and also completed 17-of-34 passes for 214 yards.

Miller (3-2) lost to 9B #5 Sully Buttes, 30-14.

White River (4-2) defeated Lower Brule, 84-18. They have outscored opponents, 301-104 this season. White River has the two highest scoring games of the season (82-44 over Lyman and 84-18 over Lower Brule).

Howard (2-3) lost to 9AA #1 Bridgewater/Emery/Ethan, 50-14. They were led by Cole Potter with nine rushes for 175 yards and a TD.

9A

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. Canistota (5-0) 2. Irene/Wakonda (6-0) 3. Colman/Egan (5-0) 4. Wall (5-0) 5. Corsica/Stickney (4-1)

#1 Canistota defeated 9B #2 Viborg/Hurley, 58-21, as Alex Robertson had six total TDs. He had 235 yards rushing and four TDs (3, 19, 29, and 47), 37 yards receiving and a 22 yard TD reception and an interception return (78 yards) for a score. Troy Hofer added 132 yards rushing including a 55 yard TD run.  Bunger, who now has 17 combined TDs, threw for two scores, including a 37-yard pass to Trevor Schroeder. Bunger had 168 yards rushing against the Vikings as the Hawks totaled 551 yards rushing. Notes: Canistota is averaging 329 yards rushing, 97 yards passing and 47.6 points per game. Quarterback Cody Bunger is making a play for player of the year in South Dakota. He has completed 29-of-51 passes for 484 yards and nine TDs and rushed 45 times for 669 yards and eight TDs. He is averaged 14.87 yards per carry. Robertson has rushed 67 times for 466 yards and seven TDs while Troy Hofer has 347 yards rushing and six TDs. Trevor Schroeder has caught 18 passes for 335 yards and five scores.

#2 Irene/Wakonda (6-0) rolled past Gayville/Volin, 40-7, as Dustin Livingston rushed for 138 yards and two TDs and completed 5-of-6 passes for 102 yards and a TD. Brian Huth had 75 yards receiving. The Eagles have outscored opponents 280-31.   

#3 Colman Egan (5-0) defeated Arlington, 13-8. Notes: In five games, C/E owns a 172-20 scoring advantage. Running back Michael Bennett has 825 yards rushing and eight TDs. Quarterback Dalton Hannasch has completed 24-of-48 passes for 434 yards and nine TDs. Riley Clark has 11 catches for 199 yards and five TDs.

#4 Wall is 5-0 after defeating Harding County (5-1), 30-20. Standout running back Chavis Hull had 189 yards on 30 carries with two TD runs (1, 9) to key the victory against the Ranchers, who were previously undefeated. Notes: Shull has 993 yards on 107 carries and 11 TDs this season. He has games of 178, 188, 218, 220 and 189 yards in five games. Wall has outscored their opponents, 174-60.

#5 Corsica/Stickney (4-1) lost to Kimball/White Lake, 30-14. Corsica/Stickney was led by Gunnar Ban Hofman who had 126 yards rushing on 14 carries with a 66-yard TD. They finished with 238 total yards.   

Others

Hanson (3-3) defeated Mt. Vernon, 40-6 as Jordan Craig had 89 yards rushing and three TDs. Reid Smith provided 79 yards and a TD. Hanson's only three losses have been to the teams currently ranked number one in the three 9-man classes.

South Central (3-2) lost to 9B #1 Avon, 48-13.

Wilmot (4-1) defeated 9AA #4 Great Plains Lutheran (4-1), 57-0. They own a 212-50 scoring edge over opponents and the squad's only loss is 44-6 to 9B #4 Waverly/South Shore. Otherwise, they have a 206-6 margin of victory.

Chester (4-1) defeated Alcester/Hudson, 12-8.

Faith (5-0) had a 42-7 win against Lemmon/McIntosh and now own a 280-89 scoring edge over opponents in five games. 

9B

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. Avon (6-0) 2. Waverly/South Shore (5-0) 3. Viborg/Hurley (4-1) 4. Sully Buttes (5-0) 5. Langford (5-0)

#1 Avon (6-0) defeated South Central, 48-13 as Jackson Powers totaled four TDs and 160 yards rushing. After falling behind 7-6, Avon scored three straight times and led 26-7 in the third quarter following Nick Poppe's 10-yard TD run. Duffy Ducheneaux had 132 yards rushing and a score. Notes: The Pirates have outscored opponents, 236 to 41. Avon has scored at least 32 points in all six games. Aside from 28 points scored by Hanson, the Pirates' other five opponents have totaled 13 points.

#2 Waverly/South Shore (5-0) rolled past Florence/Henry, 70-8, in a game stopped at halftime due to the mercy rule. Wide receiver Tyson Zemlicka extended his career receiving total to 28 career TDs. His brother Taylor had four TDs throwing and 148 yards and also ran for a score. Notes: W/SS has outscored opponents, 276-75 and moved up to second in the rankings. Coach Billy Kirch's Coyotes are averaging 55.2 points per game and have scored at least 40 points in every game this season. In the past two weeks, they put up 138 points or 69.0 per game.

#3 Viborg/Hurley (4-1) fell to #1 Canistota, 58-21, despite 132 total yards and three TDs from Matt Jensen.  He also returned a kickoff 81 yards for a score and caught a 15-yard TD pass. Down 34-6, the Vikings rallied to within 34-21 at halftime. However, they were able to stop Canistota in the second half as the Hawks scored 24 points.  Notes: Viborg/Hurley is averaging 47.0 points, 213.8 yards rushing and 100 yards through the air. Matt Jensen has 34 carries for 357 yards and five receptions for 132 yards and 13 combined TDs. He has scored three TDs in each of the past three games. Wide receiver Dennis DeNeui has 11 catches for 249 yards and three TDs.

#4 Sully Buttes (5-0) defeated Miller, 30-14. The Chargers now own a 198-44 scoring advantage over five foes. Standout running back Herman Kleinsasser had 179 yards rushing and TD runs of 53 and 67 yards. Sully Buttes had 389 overall. Notes: Kleinsasser now has 12 TDs and 758 yards rushing on the season.

#5 Langford (5-0) defeated Warner, 22-14, for their sixth straight victory. Nick Alberts passed for 95 yards and had 103 yards rushing with three TDs. Notes: The Lions have outscored opponents, 202-44.    

Others

Castlewood (4-1) dropped a 30-20 decision to Dell Rapids St. Mary (3-2). Carver Ching had a TD throw and Jordan Feyereisen had a 53-yard TD run. With the loss, Castlewood dropped from the rankings for the first time.

Harding County (5-1) lost to Wall, 30-20. Despite the loss, the Ranchers received another stellar performance from Chek Gianonatti who had 18 carries for 232 yards and three TDs. Notes: Gianonatti now has rushed 68 times for 1,071 yards, becoming the first 1,000 yard rusher in South Dakota this year. He is averaging 15.75 yards per carry and 178.5 yards rushing per game. He has scored 16 combined TDs, 14 on the ground and two receiving. He has 14 receptions for 247 yards. This season, he has rushed for 128, 135, 191, 188, 197 and 232 yards in the six games. Jess Feist has completed 44-of-74 passes for 682 yards with five TDs. He has 442 yards rushing and five TDs for the Ranchers, who are averaging 40.5 points per game.

Dell Rapids St. Mary (3-2) defeated #3 Castlewood, 30-20 as Chris Lee rushed for 152 yards on 29 carries and TD runs of 2 and 10 yards. It is the second straight week that Lee has surpassed 150 yards rushing. St. Mary has won two straight and outscored opponents, 76-44, in the last two weeks.  

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