KSFY News - Sioux Falls, SD News, Weather, SportsGridiron Blitz #8

When the Mitchell Kernels, led by Jason Greenway's 203 rushing yards and three TDs, scored 14 points in the final two minutes to upset third-ranked Sioux Falls Lincoln, post-contest chatter labeled the game as one of the best-ever.

Clearly, it was one of the best games of the season, given that a Sioux Falls school lost to someone outside the city for the first time this year. It was dramatic and a big win for Mitchell, who improved to 6-1 and set itself up for a first round bye in the 11AA playoffs, if the Kernels can win out.  After a disappointing loss to Brandon Valley two weeks ago, this victory may mean that the Kernels will be up to the task of competing with the schools in Sioux Falls. A little perspective, Sioux Falls schools still have won 19 of 20 games against foes from outside the city and 49 of the 52 over the past two years.

Without any doubt, the Mitchell/Lincoln game ranks as a classic for two programs with legacies of sports excellence. Think about it, how many games have 99 points scored, a 72-minute lightning delay, and a rally that included a long kickoff return for a TD and a perfectly executed onside kick followed by a game-winning drive in the final two minutes? The Mitchell Kernels did it before a packed Joe Quintal Field. While the game did not end on a game-winning play, it did end by the Kernels stopping Lincoln, the most explosive offense in 11AA, in the final minute.

It was the best game of the weekend to be sure and ranks among the top contests of this action-packed season. However, on Friday, another classic was occurring a few hundred miles away, between traditional rivals. In Onida, the 9B #4 Buttes Chargers defeated 9AA Gettysburg/Hoven, 36-34, scoring on the game's final play. After Gettysburg/Hoven (yes this one hurts as a former Battler) scored with 58 seconds left, the odds didn't favor the "never say die" Chargers. A 33-yard pass from quarterback Connor Uhlir to Jordan Lamb set up one final play with one tick left on the clock. Herman Kleinsasser, who many remember from the SD track meet (100-meter dash winner), had five TDs, including the game-winning 25-yard pass from Uhlir.

This is a season that has featured drama from the opening weekend. Remeber 11B #1 Tri-Valley's 21-14 decision of then 11A #1 Dell Rapids, 21-14, when a pass into the end zone was ruled an interception and not a game-tying TD? Earlier, Chester Area defeated Howard, 42-41, when Austin Opdahl connected with Devin Smith on a TD pass with 11 seconds to play. With the extra point the Flyers picked up the heartstopping win. We have witnessed numerous overtime games and close encounters. When 9A #1 Canistota held off 9AA #1 Bridgewater/Emery/Ethan, 34-26, at the FCA So Dak Bowl, that too became a memorable game for those connoisseurs of 9-man football (or any football really). Don't forget about 11AA #1, Roosevelt's 19-14 win over O'Gorman, which was another of the classics between the Rough Riders and the Knights. Roosevelt entered the game a big underdog to the #2 Knights, who many projected as the state's best team in 11AA. While the game didn't feature the "sexy" part of football – lots of points, it was full of drama to the end. Down 19-7, O'Gorman scored a TD midway through the fourth quarter and were driving late on a Roosevelt defense, that had shined all day. In the red zone, the Rough Riders held O'Gorman and with it had a win that has given a balanced Roosevelt confidence. The top team in 11AA by any measure, Roosevelt is sitting 7-0 after two straight shutouts and with two more wins (Rapid City Central on the road and Washington at home in the regular season finale) will be the top seed in the 11AA playoffs.

For my money, I still think that the game of the year and perhaps for many years is Lincoln's 37-36 win over then top-ranked Washington in week two. The Warriors entered that game on a 27-game winning streak. The Warriors were the two-time defending champion and held a 159 to 33 points advantage over Lincoln in games played between the two city schools during those two seasons.

If readers recall,  the game was a back and forth affair in which Washington led 14-13 at halftime and both teams were tied at 22-22 after three quarters. Washington took control of the game and led 36-22 with about nine minutes to play. Lincoln, led by the coolness and poise of its quarterback Alex Schultz, rallied to pull with 36-30. Trying to run out the clock, Washington was unable to convert a first down and were forced to punt. Or so many thought. Washington Head Coach Brian Hermanson kept his offense on the field and tried to draw Lincoln offsides. It worked. Only problem -  just before the snap Lincoln head coach Aaron Beavers called a timeout to calm his nervous Patriots defense. Washington punted the ball which set up a fantastic finish.

Schultz moved his team down field and into the red zone. On the game's final play, Schultz connected with Josh Kunzman to tie it and Adam Belhaj added the extra point with no time left to cap the comeback and provide Lincoln with a win that propelled them into the #1 ranking and stop Washington's incredible winning streak. A week later, the Patriots lost to Roosevelt in a #1 vs. #2 showdown. In Lincoln's win over Washington, Schultz threw for 395 yards and four TDs while Kunzman had 13 receptions for 260 yards receiving and four TD receptions. Warriors receiver Trey Naasz had 10 receptions for 88 yards. Also for Washington, junior quarterback Jon Hander had 3 TDs and 159 yards passing. Nate Gerry added 103 yards receiving with 2 TDs. Standout running back Devonte Clay finished with 139 yards rushing and a TD plus an 87-yard KO return for another score.

I suspect when we debate games of the year or best games ever, every season brings memorable moments defined by fantastic finishes. Let the debate rage on - everyone has an opinion. I know this, if the first seven weeks is any indication, more unforgettable games are forthcoming.

13 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, 13 teams remain unbeaten, including five in 11-man and eight in 9-man. In 11AA, only top-ranked Roosevelt is unbeaten through seven games. In 11A only Todd County remains unbeaten. 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, #2 Irene/Wakonda, #3 Colman/Egan, #4 Wall and unranked Faith. In 9B, two teams are unbeaten including #1 Waverly/South Shore and #4 Sully Buttes.

Power Rankings

In 11AA, top-ranked and unbeaten Sioux Falls Roosevelt leads with 57.429 power points while #2 O'Gorman is second at 55.857 and #5 Lincoln sits third at 54.714.  11A is led by #2 Dell Rapids with 56.667 points. #5 Belle Fourche is second at 53.30 and unranked Milbank third at 52.83. #1 West Central is sixth with 52.0 points. 11B is led by #1 Tri-Valley with 60.167 points followed by #4 St. Thomas More with 58.167. #2 Winner is third at 56.0 in the power point rankings. In 9AA, #1 Bridgewater/Emery/Ethan leads the power rankings with 55.667 points, followed by #2 Leola/Frederick at 54.5 and #3 Clark/Willow Lake at 53.667. 9A is led by #5 Corsica/Stickney with 59.667 points while #4 Wall sits second at 59.167 with #1 Canistota third at 58.667. #1 Waverly/South Shore leads 9B in power points with 62.00 points while #4 Sully Buttes is second at 59.5 and #2 Viborg/Hurley third with 59.33 points.

Highlight Reel

Several performances make the our "Highlight Reel" led by Jason Greenway of Mitchell, Chavis Shull of Wall and Brock Zeller and Blake Donnelly of Elk Point/Jefferson. Shull had 400 all purpose yards and scored five TDs in Wall's 50-18 win over Jones County. He rushed for 226 yards (12 carries) and had TD runs of 30, 57, and 47 yards while catching a 40-yard TD pass and taking back to second-half kickoff 85 yards for a TD. He has 1,219 yards rushing this season and 19 combined TDs. Donnelly had four receiving TDs on 11 catches for 234 yards to lead Elk Point Jefferson to a 32-26 win over Wagner. He caught TD passes of 35, 1, 83 and 16. His teammate Brock Zeller threw for 367 yards and five TDs. Greenway had 203 rushing yards and two TDs plus a 79-yard kickoff return that help key Mitchell's come-from-behind win over Lincoln. Other special performances last weekend included Trevor Crow, who rushed for 162 yards and scored five TDs to lead Brandon Valley to a 49-19 win over Aberdeen Central. Dillon Coughlin had 203 yards rushing and three TDs in DeSmet/Iroquois's 42-22 win over Lake Preston. Jared McClurg rushed for 250 yards and had two TDs to lead Redfield/Doland to a 40-13 win over Webster. Rush Milner had four combined TDs and 175 yards rushing to key Madison to a 49-0 win over Lennox. Hayden Bauman led Luverne to a 36-8 win over Worthington by rushing for 217 yards rushing and three TDs.

Zemlickas Lead Waverly/South Shore to top spot in 9B

For the first time in school history, Waverly/South Shore has been ranked #1 in 9B in the KSFY/KWSN rankings. W/SS, which was 8-1 a year ago, has opened with a 6-0 record by scoring 336 points or a gaudy, 56.0 per game. What is noteworthy is the margin could be larger if not for the mercy rule. In each of the last two weeks, W/SS has scored 70 and 60 points in the first half as games ended early. Leading Billy Kirch's Coyotes has been twins Tyler and Tyson Zemlicka, along with their cousin Brent, Sam Pond and others. This season, Taylor Zemlicka has completed 79-of-117 passes for 1,341 yards for 17 TDs while rushing 28 times for 203 yards and eight TDs. In his career, the senior quarterback has 310 completions on 536 attempts for 4,849 yards and 59 TDs. He also rushed for 1,091 yards on 386 carries and 30 TDs. As such, he now has 89 TDs in his career. It is possible for Zemlicka to finish with a combined 100 TDs in his career (needs 11). Tyson Zemlicka has 27 receptions for 409 yards and nine TDs. In his career, he has 126 receptions for 2,128 yards and 29 TDs. Brent Zemlicka has 87 carries for 840 yards for 13 TDs and 13 receptions for 136 yards and two TDs. In the season opener (40-14 win over Hamlin, he rushed for 287 yards, one of the top rushing performances of the season. In his career, he has 127 carries for 1,098 yards and 17 combined TDs. Sam Pond has 28 receptions for 575 yards and four TDs this season, including seven receptions and 231 receiving yards in a 68-28 win over Clark/Willow Lake.

Coaching Milestones

Canistota's Lenny Schroeder won his 100^th game (100-66) when the Hawks defeated Chester Area on Friday. Jeff Van Leur of Bridgewater/Emery/Ethan won his 200^th game of his coaching career in his team's 42-14 defeated of Kimball/White Lake last Friday.

Points Ringing Up Across South Dakota

In South Dakota prep football, points continue to ring up. In week seven, 28 teams scored at least 40 points, 15 had 50 or more, and seven broke the 60-point mark. Nine teams were shutout in week seven. Through seven weeks of the season, a total of 206 teams have scored 40 or more points in a game. Eighty-eight teams have surpassed 50 points and 33 have reached 60 or more. Six teams have bettered 70 points while White River, has gone over 80, twice.  A total of 114 teams have been shut out. This past week, the Mitchell-Lincoln game provided 99 points and the Edgemont 58-50 win over Rapid City Christian had 108.

11AA

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. Sioux Falls Roosevelt (7-0) 2. Sioux Falls Gorman (6-1) 3. Sioux Falls Washington (5-2) 4. Mitchell (6-1) 5. Sioux Falls Lincoln (5-2)

#1 Roosevelt (7-0) rolled past Sturgis, 67-0. Notes: The Rough Riders has outscored its opponents by a 288 to 67 margin. They own two straight shutouts when they have a 108-0 margin and over the last three games have a 146-7 advantage. On the season Roosevelt's defense has recorded three shutouts.

#2 O'Gorman (6-1) won for the fourth straight time with a 45-14 win over Rapid City Central. The Knights accumulated 382 yards on the ground on 52 carries, led by Flynn Donelan, who had 19 carries for 192 yards and a 12-yard run. He also caught a 32-yard TD reception. Sam Steffl added 15 carries for 64 yards and a TD while Jordan Hermanson had five carries for 75 yards and TD runs of 12 and 39 yards. Connor Schaefbauer completed three of four passes for 65 yards and two TD throws. Notes: O'Gorman has a 265-68 advantage over its opponents. They have given up a season-high 19 points in a close loss to Roosevelt (19-14 in the President's Bowl). Other than against Roosevelt, no other team has more than 14 points while four opponents have seven or less. Four times this season, O'Gorman has had at least 321 yards rushing and has two games over 450 (69-497; 44-155; 56-237; 45-284; 48-463; 49-321; 52-381). For the season Steffl has 140 carries for 847 yards and nine TDs while raising his career marks to 389 carries for 2,270 yards and 27 TDs. Donelan has 92 carries for 781 yards and 11 scores and now has 1,225 rushing yards in his career and 22 TDs.

#3 Washington (5-2) held off Yankton to claim a 29-14 win on the Warriors homecoming. DaVonte Clay had 129 yards rushing and a TD to key the win. The Warriors totaled 366 total yards and forced four turnovers against Yankton. Jon Hander completed six of 14 passes for 113 yards and had a seven-yard TD run. Notes: The Warriors, who are averaging 35.7 points per game and allowing 14.7, have put together a balanced offense with 183 rushing yards and 143 passing yards per game. Clay leads the ground game with 116 carries for 691 yards and 11 combined TDs. Hander has connected on 69 of 112 passes for 1,004 yards and nine TDs with just five interceptions. Nate Gerry has 19 receptions for 351 yards and eight combined TDs. Keyen Lange has 17 receptions for 297 yards and two TDs.

#4 Mitchell (6-1) rallied from 13 down in the fourth quarter to claim a 50-49 win over then #3 Lincoln at Joe Quintal Field in the Corn Palace city. Mitchell quarterback Brent Havlik, who completed 12-of-18 passes for 189 yards and two TDs and had 13 carries for 44 yards and a TD. Jason Greenway had 203 yards rushing and three combined TDs, including a 79-yard kickoff return, and both 70 and a 93-yard scoring runs. Justin Greenway added six carries for 31 yards and a TD and had six receptions for 56 yards. Notes: Since a 14-8 loss to Brandon Valley, the Kernels have won three straight and in those games own a 145-78 scoring edge over opponents. They have had 50 or more points two times and rallied twice from deficits. On the season, Jason Greenway has 123 carries for 1,002 yards and six TDs. This season, he has five games rushing over 100 yards and two over 200 (130, 244, 145, 104, 91, 85, and 203). In his career, he has totaled 309 carries for 2,393 yards and 24 TDs. This season, Justin Greenway has 40 carries for 295 yards and five TDs. Havlik has 74 carries for 252 yards and seven TDs while completing 39-of-83 passes for 670 yards and seven TDs.

#5 Lincoln (5-2) fell to Mitchell, 50-49, as the Kernels rallied for a pair of scores in the final minutes.  Lincoln's Alex Schultz completed 17-of-43 passes for 228 yards and two TDs. Caden Quintanilla had 19 carries for 132 yards and three TDs and three catches for 29 yards. Kevin Diaz had nine carries for 92 yards and two TDs. Notes: Lincoln, which is averaging 306 yards passing and 178 yards rushing per game, is putting up an 11AA-best 50.7 points per game. Schultz has completed 119-of-208 passes for 1,994 yards and 27 TDs with just three interceptions. He is only six yards from 2,000. For his career, he has 406 completions in 740 attempts for 5,720 yards and 54 TDs. Josh Kunzman has 39 receptions for 788 yards and 13 TDs. Trey Naasz has 37 receptions for 415 yards and five TDs. Naasz now has 176 career receptions for 2,083 yards and 24 TDs. Nick Goeman has 22 catches for 467 yards and five TDs. On the ground, Quintanilla has 71 carries for 569 yards and eight total TDs. He also has 179 yards receiving. Diaz has 253 yards rushing and nine combined TDs (seven rushing) with 105 receiving yards.

Others

Yankton (5-2) lost for the second straight time in a 29-14 setback to Washington (5-2). Michael Rucker completed 18-of-39 passes for 220 yards and a TD but had three interceptions.  He had a 31-yard TD throw to Connor Fitzsimmons.

Brandon Valley (4-3) rolled past Aberdeen Central (2-5), 49-19. Trevor Crow scored five TDs (3, 5, 10, 14, 18) to lead the Lynx to the win. He finished with 25 carries for 162 yards. Chase Marso completed 16-of-21 passes for 169 yards and a TD.  

Huron (3-4) defeated Spearfish (3-4), 23-19, as Deion Faulks ran for 128 yards and two TDs. He had an eight-yard TD run and five-yard TD reception. John Hott added a 44-yard scoring run and Zack Cranston kicked a 25-yard field goal. Spearfish received three TD passes, including two to Jay Darling.

Pierre (2-5) over Rapid City Stevens (3-4), 20-14. The Governors prevailed with a 20-14 win over the Raiders on Friday. The Governors' second win of the season was keyed by quarterback Alex Gray, who had three TD passes. He hit Lane Severyn twice and also connected with Joe Tetzlaff.

11A

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. West Central (6-1) 2. Dell Rapids (5-1) 3. Dakota Valley (5-1) 4. Todd County (6-0) 5. Belle Fourche (5-1)  

#1 West Central (5-1) cruised to a 47-7 win over Minnesota AA #10 Jackson County Central (4-2). Connor Miles threw two TD passes of 13 and 33 yards to Danny Kapperman. Devon Blaine had 17 carries for 114 yards and two TDs while Dalton Kuehl added 33 yards rushing and three TDs. Notes: Clearly the Trojans are on a roll. They have won four straight since a 35-18 loss to Dell Rapids. In the past three games they have rolled three opponents to the tune of a 131 to 42 advantage. They have scored over 35 points five times in seven games. Kuehl has 563 yards rushing and eight TDs this season while Blaine has 859 yards rushing and eight TDs.

#2 Dell Rapids (5-1) recorded a 20-7 win against #3 Dakota Valley (5-1) by building a 20-0 lead. Dell Rapids received a 26-yard TD throw by Channing Barber to his twin brother Zachary, who also scored on a 60-yard TD run. Hunter White, who had 133 yards rushing, added a 62-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter. Zachary Barber finished with 18 carries for 124 yards and two receptions for 27 yards and two TDs. Channing Barber completed 3-of-6 passes for 36 yard and a TD while rushing 16 times for 58 yards for the Quarriers, who compiled 344 yards in total offense. Notes: The win was the Quarriers second win this season over a top-five 11A team (West Central, Dakota Valley). They have outscored opponents, 179-80. Zachary Barber continues to pace the Dell Rapids rushing attack with 59 carries for 719 yards and seven TDs.

#3 Dakota Valley (5-0) dropped a 20-7 decision to #2 Dell Rapids, despite 148 yards rushing from Tanner Lambert. Brock Bergmann, who scored the Panthers' only TD on a fourth quarter seven-yard run, completed 8-of-23 passes for 124 yards. Notes: Lambert has 86 carries for 744 yards and seven TDs. Bergman has completed 37-of-74 passes for 659 yards and seven TDs.

#4 Todd County (7-0) remained unbeaten by rolling up had seven rushing TDs in a 50-0 win over Cheyenne Eagle Buttes. Isaiah Sneed had a TD while Doug Stenberg scored on runs of 2, 65 and 7 yards. TC had 338 rushing yards while holding CEB to a -27 yards rushing and picking off three passes.  

#5 Belle Fourche (5-1) defeated Douglas (0-7), 32-20, as Chris Dschaak connected on a 12-yard TD pass to Dylan Bergin to break a 20-20 tie with just under six minutes to play. Douglas, playing inspired ball on its homecoming, had its best game of the season. In each of the last five games, they had lost by 32 points or more.  The Patriots tied the game at 20-20 on a Colin Weinzirl's 16-yard run with 2:53 left in the third quarter. After a turnover by Belle Fourche, Douglas appeared to be knocking on the door again after a Caleb Dirksen's 20-yard run to the one-yard line. However a penalty wiped out that play and the Patriots' momentum. Austin Kudlock led Belle Fourche with 23 carries for 143 yards and three TDs. Dirksen led Douglas with 18 carries for 126 yards.

Others

Milbank (4-2) defeated Britton/Hecla (3-4), 21-7 as QB Nick Mears accounted for three TDs, including two passing and a 28-yard run. Milbank rushing 44 times for 263 yards as Mears had 24 carries for 138 yards and Adam Cloose had 20 carries for 125 yards. Mears was also 6-15 passing for 93 yards.

Sisseton (4-2) rolled to a 21-3 over Aberdeen Roncalli. The tradition-rich pass-happy Sisseton team has turned to the running game and strong defense this year and after a slow slart has won three straight games when they have held opponents to 24 total points (scoring 84). Overall this season, Sisseton owns a 166 to 78 scoring edge.

Harrisburg (4-3) ended a three-game losing skid by handing Vermillion (2-5), a 44-6 defeat. Thomas Hudson ran for 158 yards and had TD runs of four and five yards. He also threw a 10-yard TD to Kory Wheeler. Brandon Miller added 111 yards  rushing with a one-yard TD run.

Tea Area (3-3) dropped a 36-7 decision to 11B #1 Tri-Valley (6-0). Corbin Lawler had a TD run and completed 12 of 23 passes for 167 yards.

11B

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1.Tri Valley (6-0) 2. Winner (7-0) 3. Groton (7-0) 4. St. Thomas More (5-1) 5. Flandreau (5-1)

#1 Tri-Valley (6-0) recorded a 36-7 win against Tea Area (3-3). Cooper Hausman had 25 carries for 165 yards and a TD to lead the Mustangs. Hausman had a 30-yard TD run while Sam Mader added a 20-yard TD run and Kenton Welbig scored on a 17-yard run and a 15-yard pass from Brett Page. Page also had a 16-yard scoring jaunt. Overall, the Mustangs had 300 yards rushing. Notes: The Mustangs have outscored foes, 222-47.

#2 Winner (7-0) defeated Chamberlain, 50-0, as the Warriors rolled up 282 yards rushing and seven TDs on the ground. Leading the way was Ben Connot with four carries for 75 yards and four TDs while Trace Meyer had four carries for 54 yards and a pair of rushing TDs. Kyle Bertram provided 46 yards and a TD. Notes: Through seven games, Winner owns a 251-9 scoring advantage over its opponents. They have allowed a total of three points to South Dakota teams this season.  A team with a definite ground focus, Winner has rushed for at least 228 yards all seven games but never over 289. The rushing totals included 279, 289, 241, 287, 228, 245 and 282. Bertram has 48 carries for 566 yards and four TDs while Ben Connot has 51 carries for 389 yards and seven scores (10 overall). Austin Calhoon has added 53 carries for 341 yards and four TDs. As a team, the Warriors have six players without at least 139 rushing yards this season. Consistent and dominant describes the Warriors this season. They average 35.9 points, 264.4 rushing yards and 51.6 passing yards.

#3 Groton (7-0) defeated Mobridge/Pollock, 34-14 as Ryland Strom rushed for 168 yards on 26 carries and scored four TDs. Quarterback Matt Throson had 14 carries for 85 yards and a TD while complete 4-of-12 passes for 118 yards. Jamie Jorgensen had three receptions for 60 yards. 

#4 St. Thomas More (5-1) rolled past Bennett County, 42-13, as  the Cavaliers had 306 total yards  Taton Bolton had 92 yards rushing and three TDs on the ground. Quarterback Jake Sullivan had 50 yards rushing and a seven-yard TD scamper while completing 8-of-13 passes for 141 yards and a 12-yard TD pass. Notes: The Cavaliers have won four straight and own a 187 to 96 points advantage. In their four-game winning streak, they are averaging over 40 points per game.

#5 Flandreau (5-1) defeated Sioux Valley (3-3), 42-0 as Mitchel Foster had TD runs of 10 and 15 yards. Quarterback Joe Parsley had a 12-yard rushing TD. Jacob Pattterson, who had seven carries for 144 yards, added a 96-yard scoring run. David Parsley caught a 15-yard TD pass and scored on a 57 yard run. Sioux Valley managed just 72 yards of total offense. Notes: The Fliers have two straight with an 84-6 advantage in those two games. They own a 193-62 overall scoring margin against its opponents. In its six games, the Fliers averaged 32.2 points while rushing for 287 yards and throwing 39 each game. Flandreau features four players with at least 317 yards rushing this season. Patterson has 39 carries for 346 yards and six combined TDs. At quarterback, J. Parsley has 31 carries for 329 yards and seven TDs while completing 10-of-22 passes for 232 yards and six TDs. D. Parsley has added 65 carries for 435 yards and five combined TDs. Foster has 29 carries for 317 yards and six TDs.

Others

McCook Central/Montrose (6-1) defeated Garretson, 21-0. Leading the way was Andy Kappenman with 16 carries for 169 yards and TD runs of 1, 7 and 48 yards Notes: They have outscored opponents, 182-29, and have only a 10-7 loss to Flandreau. Notes: For the season Kappenman has improved his rushing numbers to 94 carries for 897 yards and 12 TDs.

Elk Point Jefferson (3-3) edged Wagner (4-2), 32-26, as Brock Zellar completed 28-of-41 passes for 367 yards and five TDs. Four of the TD passes went to Blake Donnelly, who had scoring receptions of 1, 35, 16 and 83 yards. On the night, Donnelly had 11 catches for 234 yards. Tony Metzger caught a 13-yard TD pass from Zeller. For Wagner, Alex Kocer had 35 carries for 184 yards and TD runs of 2 and 25 yards. Notes: On the season, Zeller has completed 95-178 passes for 1,476 yards and 14 TDs. Donnelly is one of the top receivers in South Dakota this season with 41 receptions for 786 yards and nine TDs.

Beresford (1-5) upended Sioux Falls Christian (0-6) as Hesston Erickson had four rushing TDs of 4,6, 8, and 20 yards.

9AA

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (5-1) 2. Leola/Frederick (6-0) 3. Clark/Willow Lake (5-1) 4. Kimball/White Lake (5-2) 5. Deubrook Area (4-2)

#1 Bridgewater/Emery/Ethan (5-1) defeated #4 Kimball/White Lake, 42-14 as they scored 20 unanswered points in the second half. BEE, who has only lost to 9A #1 Canistota (34-26), was led by Anthony Huber with 19 carries for 144 yards and four TDs. Kendall Lindeman added 21 carries for 121 yards and two TDs. Notes: The defending 9AA champions, despite the loss of several all-state performers on last year's squad, have again been dominating with a 250-92 scoring edge over opponents. BEE has been led by its two-headed rushing machine of Huber and Lindemann. Huber has had games of 178 and 196 yards rushing and has an estimated 506 yards rushing and 10 TDs. Meanwhile Lindemann, who did not play a year ago due to injury, has 638 yards (estimated) and nine TDs. He has had two games over 200 yards (238, 235).

#2 Leola/Frederick (6-0) defeated 9B #5 Langford, 40-24.  Leola rushed for 338 yards on the ground and passed for 92. Tyler Hoffman was 5-of-11 for 83 yards and a TD pass and a TD run. Notes: L/F has outscored foes, 254-84. 

#3 Clark-Willow Lake (5-1) defeated Great Plains Lutheran, 61-13. Jeff McGraw had 167 yards rushing and three TDs while Jed Hansen had 121 yards and two TDs for the Coyotes.  Phil Bunkowske was 11-for-19 for 124 yards and Mitchell Giovannettone had two TDs for Great Plains Lutheran. Notes: C/WL They have a 259-144 scoring edge over opponents after winning its second straight. In those two wins, Clark/Willow Lake has a scoring edge of 109-41.

#4 Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central (5-2) won its fifth straight game, defeating Wolsey/Wessington, 42-34 OT. They own a 204-90 scoring edge in those five wins. Overall, they have a 246 to 174 scoring advantage.

#5 Kimball/White Lake (5-2) dropped a 42-14 decision to top-ranked Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan. The loss ended a five-game winning streak by K/WL. They still have a 259 to 184 scoring edge over opponents.

Others

Deubrook Area (4-2) lost to 9A #3 Colman/Egan (6-0), 18-12, and dropped out of the rankings. They own a 187 to 96 overall scoring edge.

White River (5-2) defeated Kadoka Area, 52-0. They have outscored opponents, 353-104 this season. White River has the two highest scoring games of the season (82-44 over Lyman and 84-18 over Lower Brule).

Miller (4-2) defeated Herreid/Selby, 36-20. They have a 214 to 157 scoring advantage over opponents.

Tri-State (4-2) defeated Grant-Duel, 26-21. They own a 204 to 153 advantage over opponents.

Gettysburg/Hoven (3-3) lost to Sully Buttes (6-0) as Herman Kleinsasser hauled in a 25-yard touchdown pass from Conner Uhlir as time expired. Gettysburg-Hoven had taken the lead with 58 seconds remaining when Hayden Simon scored from four yards out. Tate Nafziger rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown and also threw for 146 yards and two TDs to power Gettysburg-Hoven. G/H has been snake-bitten this year losing one game in triple overtime and two others by two points each (22-20, Miller; 36-34 Sully Buttes).

9A

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. Canistota (6-0) 2. Irene/Wakonda (7-0) 3. Colman/Egan (6-0) 4. Wall (6-0) 5. Corsica/Stickney (5-1)

#1 Canistota (6-0) defeated Chester Area, 62-8, as Troy Hofer rushed for 115 yards on 10 carries with TD runs of 15, 19 and 38 yards. He also blocked a punt. Trevor Schroeder returned the blocked kick for a score. Alex Robertson, who had 93 yards rushing, had a 48-yard TD run and a 45-yard TD reception. Quarterback Cody Bunger added a 70-yard interception return while Nick Hofer had a 45-yard TD run. Notes: The Hawks, which own a 300 to 55 scoring advantage over opponents (50.0 to 8.8 ppg.), average 330 yards rushing per game. Bunger has completed 31-of-57 passes for 544 yards and 10 TDs with no interceptions. He also has 49 carries for 674 yards and eight TDs. Alex Robertson has 13 combined TDs including eight rushing. He has 80 carries for 559 yards and eight catches for 135 yards and four receiving TDs. Troy Hofer has accumulated 462 yards rushing and nine TDs while Trevor Schroeder has 19 receptions or 350 yards and five scores.

#2 Irene/Wakonda (7-0) recorded a 41-8 decision over Parker as quarterback Dustin Livingston had 14 carries for 122 yards and two TDs while throwing a 30-yard scoring pass to Brian Huth. Scott Davis added 100 yards rushing and two TDs. Notes: The Eagles have outscored opponents 321-39.  

#3 Colman Egan (6-0) defeated 9AA #5 Deubrook Area, 18-12.

#4 Wall is 6-0 after defeating Jones County 50-18. After leading by two at halftime, Wall broke out in the second half by outscoring Jones County, 34-6 for the win. Standout senior running back Chavis Shull was the leader as he finished with 400 yards in all-purpose yards including five TDs. He opened the second half with a 85-yard kickoff return for a TD to put Wall up 22-12. On the night he had 12 carries for 226 yards and TD runs of 30, 57, and 47 and also caught a 40-yard TD pass. Notes: Wall has outscored their opponents, 224-78. On the season, Shull has 119 carries for a state-leading 1,219 yards rushing (according to available information) and 14 rushing TDs. He has 19 TDs overall.

#5 Corsica/Stickney (5-1) rebounded from its first loss of the season and handed 9B Avon, a 34-6 defeat. Jaguars quarterback Adam Borman rushed for 172 yards and threw for 75 to lead the way for the fifth-ranked 9A team . Gunnar Baanhofman had 104 yards rushing and two TDs plus 61 yards receiving.

Others

Faith (6-0) defeated Bison, 60-18 and now owns a 340-107 scoring edge over opponents in six games.

Hanson (4-3) defeated Howard (1-4), 38-18, as Jordan Craig had 151 yards on 14 carries with three TD runs. Hanson rushed 47 times for 356 yards. Notes: Hanson's only losses this year are to teams ranked #1 in respective 9-man classes. In two straight wins, Hanson has a 78 to 24 advantage over its last two opponents. Overall they have a 206 to 158 scoring advantage over its foes.

Warner (4-2) defeated Ipswich/Edmunds Central, 33-8 by rolling up 503 yards rushing and 532 overall yards.

South Central (4-2) rolled past Tripp/Delmont/Armour, 36-2, as Christian Schweigert had 148 yards rushing and hada 65-yard TD run. Turner Serr added 88 yards and a TD.

Wilmot (5-1) defeated Hamlin, 36-28. They own a 248-78 scoring edge over opponents and the squad's only loss is 44-6 to 9B #4 Waverly/South Shore. Otherwise, they have a 242-34 margin of victory.

Chester (4-2) lost to Canistota, 62-8.

Gayville-Volin (3-4) defeated Baltic, 33-14, as Alex Barta rushed for three TDs and had 187 yards on the ground. He had TD runs of 1, 35 and 5 yards. Ross Goeden had 101 yards rushing and TD run of 1 and 26 yards. Ethan Brende had a 95-yard kickoff return for a TD and a 12-yard scoring run. 

9B

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

#1 Waverly/South Shore (6-0) rolled past Waubay/Summit, 60-8, scoring 48 points in the first quarter and 12 more in the second. Quarterback Taylor Zemlicka completed 4-of-4 passes for 118 yards and three TDs (22, 25, 64) and also had a 14-yard TD run. His twin brother Tyson had two TDs, a 35-yard interception return for a TD and a 64-yard TD reception. Brent Zemlicka, a cousin to Tyson and Taylor, had four carries for 72 yards and TD runs of four and 21 yards. Also scoring was Chris Arthur (22-yard TD reception and Sam Pond, who had two receptions for 32 yards and a 25-yard TD reception. Notes: In six wins, W/SS own a 336 to 83 scoring edge over opponents. What is especially impressive about W/SS's point total is that they have ended their last two wins at halftime due to the mercy rule. In those games, they have outscored the two opponents by a combined 130-16.

#2 Viborg/Hurley (5-1) rolled to a 50-0 win over Centerville behind Tyler Gerdes, who had four TDs. He scored on runs of 6, 11 and 89 yards and had a 55-yard kickoff return for a TD. Overall he had 111 yards rushing on four carries. Standout wide receiver Dennis DeNeui caught three TD passes from Trevor Jacobson, who finished 4-of-4 for 121 yards. DeNeui had TD catches of 50, 60 and 42 yards. Notes: The Vikings have a 285 to 70 scoring advantage against its opponents. The Vikings have averaged 211 yards rushing and 111 yards throwing with 47.5 points per game. Quarterback Trevor Jacobsen has completed 14-of-20 passes for 415 yards and six TDs. DeNeui leads the receiving corps with 14 catches for 407 yards and six TDs. Matt Jensen has 440 yards rushing and 13 combined TDs while Tyler Gerdes has 426 yards rushing and 12 combined TDs.

#3 Avon (6-1) lost at home to 9A #5 Corsica/Stickney (5-1), 34-8. Notes: Despite their first loss, Avon owns a 242 to 75 scoring edge over its opponents.

#4 Sully Buttes (6-0) Herman Kleinsasser caught a 25-yard TD from Connor Uhlir on the game's final play as the Chargers defeated rival Gettysburg/Hoven, 36-34. Gettysburg-Hoven took the lead with 58 seconds left on a four-yard run by Hayden Simon. Kleinsasser, who had five TDs, had a hand in each TD for Sully Buttes, which rallied from a 21-8 deficit. He rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns (57, 54), had 69 yards receiving and two TDs (40, 25), and also returned a punt 62 yards for a score. Sully Buttes had 252 yards rushing and 109 yards throwing in the game Notes: Kleinsasser now has 17 TDs and 923 yards rushing on the season. The Chargers have outscored opponents 248 to 80.

#5 Harding County (5-1) did not play this week. They play this Friday and own a 243 to 56 scoring margin over opponents. Notes: Standout running back Chek Gianonatti now has rushed 68 times for 1,071 yards. 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. Gianonatti 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.

Others

Langford (5-1) lost to 9AA #2 Leola/Frederick, 40-24, and fell out of the KSFY/KWSN rankings. Against L/F, Nick Alberts led Langford by completing 7-of-20 passes for 154 yards

Castlewood (4-2) lost to Elkton/Lake Benton (3-3), 6-0. E/LB quarterback Brant Tingle had the only TD with 30 seconds to play in the first half. Castlewood managed just 57 yards in total offense.

Dell Rapids St. Mary (4-2) has won three straight after a 14-6 win over Estelline. Chris Lee had  141 rushing yards to lead St. Mary.  They have outscored opponents, 90-50, in the last two weeks. 

Across the Border

In Minnesota, Adrian defeated Lakeview, 46-0 as they moved to 6-0. Kyle Kilgore scored on a 25-yard run and caught a 12-yard TD pass from Nate Loosbrock. They also had four other rushing TDs from Nate Lynn, Zach Albertson, Jake Tiede and Logan Rogers. Adrian had a 40-0 lead at halftime. #1 Edgerton/Ellsworth (6-0) defeated #3 Hills/Beaver Creek (5-1), 36-20, in 9-man football.

In Iowa, West Lyon/Inwood (5-2) defeated Sioux Central (4-3) as Bennett Feuchtenburger had 117 yards rushing and three TD runs for the Wildcats, who led 27-0 at halftime. Central Lyon George/Little Rock (5-2) won its second straight with a 40-7 win over Western Christian (2-6) as Josh Hunt had 151 yards and three TDs. Iowa Class 3 A #3 ranked Boyden/Hull/Rock Valley (7-0) defeated Spencer (3-5), 32-17, as Brandt VanRoekel had 215 yards passing and a TD, 103 yards rushing and a TD. He also took back an interception return.