Gridiron Blitz #2 - KSFY News - Sioux Falls, SD News, Weather, Sports

As I sat in the blue and white O'Gorman fan section on Friday night, I couldn't help but cherish the kickoff of prep football for 2012. Amidst a packed McEneaney Field, I, along with a few thousand others, was treated to a back and forth affair that pitted two of the state's top AA teams.

While both teams struggled with penalties, turnovers and first-game jitters, the game featured a constant shift of momentum and leads. The game wasn't decided until a O'Gorman field goal fell short in the closing seconds.

While I wouldn't list Brandon Valley's 18-15 win as a classic - that word is thrown around too freely - the game provided the athletic drama that kept fans on both sides on the edge of their seats all night. I felt the crowd's rush of emotions, including fans holding and releasing their breath throughout the evening. The "Oohs" and "Aahs" filled the air, along with "we have spirit yes we do, we have spirit how about you" and other assorted cheers from cheer squads. From the O'Gorman cheer area to the red and black clad Brandon Valley section to the south, and the play on the field, the prep football environment was truly an experience to savor.  

Other First Night Impressions

On Saturday, Sioux Falls Washington proved that they are the team to beat in 11AA. The Warriors rolled to a 49-7 win over Rapid City Central, as they built up an insurmountable 43-0 halftime lead, scoring on all of their first half possessions. The Warriors rolled up 428 yards, including 263 through the air while holding Rapid City Central to 123 total yards.

In 11A, West Central served notice in 11A that they will be strong defensively while again featuring a strong rushing game.

In 11B, Tri-Valley ran its winning streak to 13 while Winner and Flandreau again unleashed their ground power. At this point, all appear to be ready to charge for the Dome.

Two-time defending champion Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan hasn't missed a beat, led by fullback Anthony Huber with 198 yards and four TDs. They rolled past Freeman, 60-6, as head coach Jeff Van Leur moved into a tie for second on the all-time national 9-man wins list with 208 victories (208-101, .673).

Canistota, which will face BEE on September 7 in a match up of two top-ranked 9-man squads in Sioux Falls, survived 9AA Howard in a closer-than-expected encounter (20-16) as the 9A Hawks ran their winning streak to 25.

In 9B, Viborg-Hurley showed the state that the preseason #1 ranking was correct as they rolled to a 50-14 win. Waverly-South Shore opened defense of their 9B title by rolling up 54 points and served notice that they could be tough again, despite heavy graduation losses.

Canistota Extends Win Streak to 25; Three Others in Double Digits

Several teams have put together double-digit winning streaks, led by Canistota in 9A with 25 straight wins. In 11B, Tri-Valley has won 13 in a row. Waverly-South Shore also has a 13-game winning streak in 9B. In fact the Coyotes have won 21-of-22 games over the past two seasons. Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan has an 11-game winning streak after a win on Friday.

Keep your Eye on Three Young SF Quarterbacks

While senior quarterbacks Jon Hander and Chase Marso showed they are elite players, keep your eye on three young Sioux Falls quarterbacks who made noise on opening night. Lincoln's Connor Burchill was 8-of-15 for 174 yards and three TDs and two interceptions in leading Lincoln to a 50-6 opening night win. In his first career start, Roosevelt's Taryn Christion completed 8-of-13 passes for 190 yards and three TDs. "Taryn (Christion) was good but we ran the ball 42 times which helps him. We are much more effective when we throw when we want to and not when we have to," said Roosevelt coach Kim Nelson. While feeling the pressure a bit in his first career start, he was steady for much of the night in the pocket and showed a dual threat ability with 46 rushing yards. Anybody that watched Tanner Schulte had to be reminded of his brother Tyler. Schulte was dynamic whether behind center or at wing. He had 17 carries for 101 yards, threw a 21-yard TD to Nic Steffl and made a critical interception that kept O'Gorman's hopes alive late. Schulte has phenomenal speed and burst and makes plays on the edge. Look for him to get 15-20 touches a game and be the kind of explosive player that will make O'Gorman more dangerous on offense as the season progresses.

Dakota Bowl and More Set for This Weekend

The opening weekend was full of drama and fantastic finishes. More is expected in week two, including the Dakota Bowl matchup on Saturday of 11AA #3 Sioux Falls Roosevelt and #4 Sioux Falls O'Gorman. But before we get to that big-time rivalry game, a Friday night rivalry battle pits #5 Sioux Falls Lincoln against top-ranked Sioux Falls Washington. Other Friday night games include 11B #5 Canton at 11A #1 Dell Rapids, 9A #5 Colman-Egan at 9AA #3 Deubrook Area, McCook Central/Montrose at 11B #3 Flandreau, 11B #1 Tri-Valley at Garretson, 9B #3 Avon at 9A Hanson, 11B #2 Winner at 11B #4 St. Thomas More, plus Watertown at 11AA #2 Brandon Valley in the Pigskin Classic, and many more.

Send Me Photos From Your Game

As we continue through the prep football season, I urge fans to email me (dangenzler@gmail.com) photos from their game, both game action and "cheer shots." I hope to add some of those photos to this weekly Gridiron Blitz blog.

Here is a look back at the opening week, including notes of all the KSFY/KSWN ranked teams by class. In addition, the blog includes notes from other teams as well along with a breakdown at the end of top performances, listed under the "Player Plaudits."

11AA

KSFY/KWSN Rankings - 1. Sioux Falls Washington (1-0). 2. Brandon Valley (1-0). 3. Sioux Falls Roosevelt (1-0). 4. Sioux Falls O'Gorman (0-1). 5. Sioux Falls Lincoln (1-0) and Yankton (1-0).

#1 Sioux Falls Washington (1-0)

SF Washington scored on all of its first half possessions to build a 43-0 halftime advantage en route to a 49-7 road victory against Rapid City Central. Sam Cooke led the Warriors rushing attack with 16 carries for 138 yards and two TDs (3, 12). Senior quarterback Jon Hander completed 10-of-14 passes for 211 yards and 3 TDs (20, 52, 22). SF Washington had 428 yards in total offense on 54 plays, including 263 through the air. Rapid City had 49 plays for 123 yards, including 63 yards rushing (34 carries). SFW scored on all of its first half possessions. Senior wide receiver Nate Gerry had a 20-yard TD reception on his only catch. Zac Lupica had a 50-yard TD catch while Jordan Determan caught a 22 yard TD pass. SFW scores seven TDs and did not use more than 3:03 on any drive. In fact, three drives were 42 seconds or less and six of seven drives took 2:22 or less to score. SF Washington had three TD drives of three plays or less and just one over 10 plays, a 12-play 63-yard drive that took 3:03 capped by Cooke's three-yard TD run in the first quarter.

#2 Brandon Valley (1-0)

BV defeated #3 O'Gorman, 18-15, behind the passing and kicking of senior quarterback Chase Marso, who completed 30-of-43 passes for 301 yards, TD, and two field goals (26, 28). Interestingly, Brandon Valley missed both of its extra points on bad snaps but converted both field goals behind the leg of Marso. The Lynx now trail O'Gorman, 7-6, in a series dating back to 1990. Lynx receiver A.J. Garrow had nine receptions for 73 yards; Nate Winter had five receptions for 78 yards and Matthew VandeBerg had six receptions for 75 yards and a 59-yard kickoff return. Both of BV's TDs were scored by Tony Tripp on a six-yard TD catch in the first quarter and a one-yard plunge in the third quarter.

#3 Sioux Falls Roosevelt (1-0)

Sioux Falls Roosevelt, led by sophomore quarterback Taryn Christion, rolled to a 49-8 victory over Aberdeen Central on Friday. Christion, who made his first career start, had 46 yards rushing and was 8-of-13 for 196 yards with three TDs (47, 61 20) and one interception. Rough Riders running back Mikal Smith, who had five carries for 24 yards, scored two TDs, including a three-yard run and a 48-yard pitch and catch with Christion. Seth Bjordahl led the Rough Riders with 56 yards on 13 carries while Jeremiah Clark had three carries for 59 yards. Tanner Hennings had three receptions for 83 yards, including a 61-yard TD. Senior wide receiver Lucas Wilber had two catches for 38 yards and a 20-yard TD reception as well as two carries for 31 yards and a six-yard TD run. The Roosevelt defense limited Aberdeen Central to 156 yards in total offense (87 yards rushing), forced four turnovers and recorded a defensive score on a 53-yard interception return by Kory Lindquist

#4 Sioux Falls O'Gorman (0-1)

O'Gorman dropped an 18-15 home decision to #2 Brandon Valley. The Knights rushed for 215 yards on 44 carries, led by sophomore quarterback/running back Tanner Schulte, who had 17 carries for 102 yards. Senior Nic Steffl added 13 carries for 91 yards and caught a 21-yard TD pass from Schulte that led to a tie at 15-15 in the third quarter. Late in the game, an O'Gorman fumble seemed to set BV in prime scoring position as Schulte picked off Marso on third down from the six-yard line with 2:37 on the clock. Schulte nearly broke free on the interception return before being stopped at the 44-yard line. O'Gorman, benefited by an interference penalty, had a shot at a tie but Alex Pujado's 37-yard field goal attempt was short.

 #5 Yankton (1-0)

Led by Michael Rucker's combined three TDs and 76 yards passing, Yankton opened 1-0 with a 27-21 road win over Pierre on Friday. The Bucks took advantage of Pierre turnovers. Yankton, which owns 32 ESD titles and six playoff titles, received a short TD run and 23-yard TD run from Rucker as well as a 25-yard pitch and catch with Chris Brown. James Hisek had 64 yards rushing to lead Yankton, which accumulated 242 yards rushing on 50 carries. Pierre, led by running back Austin Wagner with 107 yards and an eight-yard TD run, finished with 131 yards rushing on 39 carries. Pierre QB Alex Gray had 76 yards throwing and two TDs (15, 26). 

#5 SF Lincoln (1-0)

Connor Burchill completed 8-of-15 passes for 174 yards and three TDs (2 int.) to lead SF Lincoln past Rapid City Stevens, 50-6, in Rapid City on Saturday. Caden Quintanilla finished with 19 carries for 130 yards and two TDs while Evan Decosse had a 95-yard kickoff return. Trevor Naasz had four receptions for 133 yards and two TDs (39, 52). Lincoln, which led AA in scoring a year ago with over 44 points per game, finished with 419 yards in total offense, including 245 rushing yards on 43 carries. The Patriots allowed just 44 yards in total offense to RC Stevens.

Also of note --

The Brookings Bobcats (1-0), led by new coach Lee Schmidt, opened some eyes by handing Huron a 31-14 defeat. The Bobcats, which led 25-7 at halftime, were led by senior quarterback Kaleb Vig, who completed 10-of-21 passes for 153 yards and 3 TDs while running 16 times for 50 yards and a TD. Other top performers for the Bobcats included sophomore Michael Daniel with 14 carries for 80 yards and junior Cody Shepardson with five carries for 47 yards. Sophomore Dayton Bender had five carries for 26 yards and a TD. Tyler Madler hauled in two receptions for 63 yards while junior Jon Lehman had 18 yards receiving but two big TD catches.  In Head Coach Steve Svendsen's first game as the Arrows' head coach, Watertown came through with a 22-14 win over Mitchell. Shay Bratland, who had 15 carries for 95 yards, had a big night for the Arrows. He had a 90-yard kickoff return and a 19-yard TD run. Also for Watertown, Trevor Jutting threw a 31-yard TD pass to Jess Poppen, who kicked a 32-yard field goal. Mitchell, which had five turnovers, outgained Watertown, 293-219. Landon Neugebauer had 15 carries for 81 yards and a TD while Mitch Johnson had 75 yards on 17 carries and a TD for the Kernels, which had 176 yards rushing on 44 carries. Kirby Fuerst led the Kernels with 14 tackles.

11A

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. Dell Rapids (0-0). 2. West Central (1-0). 3. Dakota Valley (1-0). 4. Harrisburg (1-0). 5. Tea Area (1-0).

#1 Dell Rapids (0-0)

The Quarriers, the two-time defending champions with a 23-1 record over the past two seasons, did not play this week and will open play at home vs. Canton (0-1) on Friday (8/31).

#2 West Central (1-0)

The Trojans utilized a strong rushing game and a shutdown defense to defeat Vermillion, 35-0, at home. West Central rushed 319 yards on 59 carries and had 351 total yards. Senior running back Anthony Lueth led West Central with 15 carries for 98 yards and a TD; Cody Miller had 16 carries for 91 yards and a TD; and Eric Krizan added 12 carries for 52 yards and a TD. Quarterback Noah Matson rushed seven times for 37 yards with a TD and completed 3-of-5 passes for 32 yards. Cole Tirrel (three tackles, int.) and Dylan Hagerty (four tackles, two sacks) led a West Central defense which held the Tanagers in check, allowing just 95 yards in total offense. The Trojans held Vermillion to 10 yards rushing on 22 carries and gave up just 85 yards passing. The Tanagers had a chance to cut into a 14-0 deficit but fumbled the snap at the close of the first half.

#3 Dakota Valley (1-0)

As expected, Dakota Valley Coach Jason Jund pounded the rock with Tanner Lambert leading the way. Lambert had 25 carries for 213 yards and two TDs (39, 4) to lead the Panthers past Elk Point/ Jefferson, 40-12. The Panthers rushed 47 times for 343 yards, finishing with 473 yards in total offense. DV quarterback Aaron Likness completed 10-of-19 passes for 130 yards and a TD. The Panthers held EP/J to 234 yards in total offense, including -10 yards rushing while forcing five turnovers (three interceptions, two fumble recoveries). Quarterback Broc Zeller led EP/J by completing 20-of-44 passes for 244 passing yards with two TDs (8, 19). EP/J's Dakota Navrkal had 70 receiving yards.

#4 Harrisburg (1-0)

The Tigers turned back Madison, 27-21, as Kyle Ackermann had two rushing TDs and 66 yards on the ground. QB Andrew McCuen threw for 87 yards with a TD and had 12 carries for 103 yards rushing and a TD to lead Harrisburg, which led 27-7 at halftime. Madison looks like an improved team as they made a run at the Tigers in the second half, led by Rush Milne, who had two rushing TDs and 45 yards on the ground. The Bulldogs had another highlight when Jacob Giles tossed a 74-yard TD pass to Brendon Waldner.

#5 Tea Area (1-0)

Tea Area opened the season with an impressive 41-6 win over Bon Homme. Leading the Titans was quarterback Taylor Roeman, who completed 5-of-8 passes for 107 yards and three TDs (12, 19, 52). Gunnar Enz led the Titans ground game with 12 carries for 104 yards and TDs of two and 30 yards. All-state wideout Mitchell Nissen had two catches for 58 yards, including a 52-yard TD reception. Tea Area finished with 39 carries for 219 yards (326 total yards).

Also of note --

Previously #4 Spearfish dropped a home opener to 11B #4 St. Thomas More, 7-0.

11B

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

#1 Tri-Valley (1-0)

With heavy graduation losses and a new coach taking over, some might have thought defending champion Tri-Valley would need a few games to get going. Not so fast. The Mustangs, under the direction of Head Coach Steve Bazata, rolled to a 41-23 win over previously #3 Canton. Senior quarterback Brett Page completed 5-of-9 passes for 102 yards and three TDs. He also rushed for 18 yards and a TD. In the backfield, Logan Koopman filled in brilliantly, finishing with 14 carries for 138 yards and a TD. Sam Mader had 10 carries for 48 yards and a TD. Wide receiver Logan Otto contributed four receptions for 91 yards and three TDs.

#2 Winner (1-0)

Dan Aaker's Winner squad rolled past Parkston, 39-0, as running back Ben Connot had 11 carries for 186 yards and TDs of seven and 70 yards. He also had a 50-yard run. Winner QB Tanner Fritz had four rushing TDs of 1, 1, 5, and 10 yards.

#3 Flandreau (1-0)

Flandreau unleashed a strong rushing attack, which produced 358 yards on 43 carries, in a 36-22 win over Deuel Area. Jacob Patterson had 24 carries for 176 yards and a TD while also recording an interception, sack and six tackles on defense. Quarterback Jace Christiansen had eight carries for 118 yards and TD runs of eight and 45 yards while David Parsley had nine carries for 62 yards and a 41-yard TD. Flandreau broke from a 14-14 halftime tie to defeat Deuel. Jacob Scofield led Flandreau with 10 tackles. The Fliers recorded four sacks, had two interceptions, and a fumble recovery in the win.

#4 St. Thomas More (1-0)

St. Thomas More defeated 11A #4 Spearfish, 7-0, in Spearfish as former Cavaliers lineman Witt Dobesh rushed 21 times for 93 yards and scored the game's only TD. It was the second straight win for the Cavaliers over Spearfish. The Cavaliers had a 25-20 decision a year ago in Rapid City.

#5 Canton (0-1)

Canton fell to #1 Tri-Valley, 41-23, on the road. Canton was led by Tanner Broughton with 13 carries for 83 yards and two TDs. Now Canton faces 11A #1 Dell Rapids.

Also of note --

Deuel Area (0-1) lost to Flandreau, 36-22, despite the effort of Lincoln Swenson, who completed 9-of-24 passes for 246 yards and two TDs. He also rushed 18 times for 35 yards. Wide receiver Justin Cassels had two receptions for 100 yards, including a 83-yard TD reception while his brother Trevor had a 55-yard TD catch and a pair of receptions for 90 yards. Sawyer Giese had 11 tackles to lead Deuel Area. Garretson (1-0) received 30 carries and 233 yards combined from Cody Bonte and Matt Johnson en route to a 29-0 win over Sioux Falls Christian. Bonte carried the lion's share of the load with 19 carries for 166 yards and a TD for Garretson, which rushed 47 times for 321 yards. Aberdeen Roncalli (1-0) edged Groton when Matt Swallow (2 rec., 38 yards) caught a four-yard TD pass with no time remaining and Colton Cox kicked the extra point in a 14-13 win. Groton's Dalton Locke had provided the Tigers with a 13-7 lead but the PAT was blocked, setting up the Aberdeen Roncalli heroics in the final seconds. The Cavaliers 11-play winning drive, included a crucial 4th and 12 conversion when Brayden Hilton caught a pass from Zach Lundquist. Kasey Kurtz of Groton had 65 yards rushing along with seven tackles, two fumble recoveries and two sacks. Roncalli's Dalton Cox had 17 tackles. McCook Central/Montrose (1-0), the 11B runner-up a year ago, opened the season with a 12-7 win over Platte/Geddes/Dakota Christian. Tim Gassman scored on a 43-yard punt return for the Fighting Cougars, which also had a 22-yard TD pass from Brandon Reif to Jacob Heumiller. P/G/DC was led by Richard Sternberg who had a 43-yard TD run and had 75 yards rushing.

9AA

KSFY-KWSN Rankings -- 1. Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (1-0); 2. Kimball/White Lake (1-0); 3. Deubrook Area (0-0). 4. Potter County (0-0). 5. Howard (0-1).

#1 Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (1-0)

BEE opened defense of their 9AA title with a 60-6 decision of Freeman. They outgained Freeman, 449 to 125, including a dominating 398 to 31 rushing yards advantage. All-state running back Anthony Huber was dominating as he had 198 yards rushing and four TDs (9, 21, 55, 71).

#2 Kimball/White Lake (1-0)

The WiLdKats rolled past Mount Vernon, 38-14 by rushing for 277 yards. Kimball/White Lake was led by Trevor Reinesch with 13 carries for 135 yards with TD runs of 65 and 59 yards and Jacob Kirsch, who had 13 carries for 95 yards with a 45-yard scoring run. Jesse Taylor accounted for five TDs. He completed 5-of-6 passes for 146 yards with four TDs and a rushing TD (65 yards). Kyle Peters with four catches for 117 yards and three TDs (5, 25, 37).

#3 Deubrook Area (0-0)

The Dolphins open at home August 31 vs. 9A #5 Colman/Egan.

#4 Potter County (0-0)

Potter County opens on August 31 on the road vs. Faulkton Area.

#5 Howard (0-1)

The Tigers received two TD runs (2,1) from quarterback Landon Laible but saw a rally fall short in a loss to 9A #1 Canistota, 20-16. A year ago, Howard lost to Canistota, 48-0, but this time nearly pulled off the upset. Cole Potter had 11 carries for 96 yards while Luke Loudenberg added 15 carries for 81 yards. Howard had 291 yards in total offense. The strong Howard defensive effort was keyed by Evan Donahue with 10 tackles and a fumble recovery while Potter had nine stops.

Also of note --

Hamlin (1-0) defeated Clark/Willow Lake, 34-14. Gregory (1-0) defeated South Central, 49-12, in the opener on the road. Jonah Beck had 10 carries for 75 yards and a TD while QB Jaden Bartling had 68 yards rushing and a TD and passed for 89 yards and three TDs, accounting for four total TDs. White River (0-0) led Wall of 9A, 33-0, in second quarter when game was halted due to lightning. Parker (1-0) picked up a season-opening win behind running back Blake Reynolds, who put together the top rushing performance, regardless of class, on Friday night. Reynolds had 19 carries for 246 yards and five TDs (2, 17, 25, 46, 62) to lead Parker past Baltic, 52-20. Reynolds, who had 320 all-purpose yards, led the way for Parker, which had 372 yards rushing on 40 carries with 435 yards in total offense. For Baltic, Kyler Johnson was 18-of-38 for 230 yards with three TDs (6, 13, 16).

9A

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

#1 Canistota (1-0)

Led by quarterback Cody Bunger, Canistota opened up a 14-0 lead and then held off a strong 9AA Howard squad. 20-16. Alex Robertson had 11 carries for 94 yards and a three-yard TD run while Bunger was 8-of-12 for 190 yards passing and a TD (9). Bunger also had 13 carries for 25 yards but lost two fumbles. Eric Tieszen provided 11 carries for 67 yards and a TD as well as two catches for 91 yards. Tieszen had 10 tackles and a sack and Robertson added five tackles and two sacks for the Hawks defense, which produced five sacks on the night. The Hawks, which extended their winning streak to 25 games, had 376 yards in total offense.

#2 Corsica/Stickney (0-0)

Corsica/Stickney opens the season on August 31 at home vs. Menno.

#3 Irene-Wakonda (1-0)

Dustin Livingston had five total TDs, including two by rush and three by pass, as Irene-Wakonda rolled to a 44-7 win over Menno.

#4 Warner (1-0)

Clay Rozell scored two TDs (3, 7 yards) to lead Warner past Wolsey-Wessington, 22-8. Warner accumulated 43 carries for 219 yards. They were led defensively by Jarrod Tuszka with 11 tackles. Hayden Hooks had 16 tackles for Wolsey-Wessington, which received 119 yards rushing from Roy Lumpkin, including an 89-yard TD run.

5 – Colman-Egan (0-0)

The C-E Hawks open the season this Friday on the road at 9AA #3 Deubrook Area.

Also of note --

Wilmot (1-0) edged Tri-State, 20-18, holding off a late two-point conversion. Wilmot was led by quarterback Austin Hulscher who was 12-of-21 for 190 yards and three TDs (27, 16, 35). Landon Hammer had nine catches for 117 yards and two TDs (16, 27). Hammer also contributed on defense with eight tackles and an interception. Tri-State (0-1) was led by Dexter Lick who had 20 carries for 105 yards while QB Dillon Lick had TD runs of one and six yards. Hanson (1-0) opened the season with a 22-14 win over Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central (0-1) as Jordan Marguardt hailed in 29-yard TD pass from Tyler Pringle with only 39 seconds to play. Marguardt finished with 17 carries for 74 yards and had two TD receptions. He also had 10 tackles on defense. Hanson's ground attack featured Jacob Paradeis, who had 14 carries for 155 yards and a TD. Pringle was 3-for-4 in passing for 94 yards and two TDs. Hanson accumulated 232 rushing yards and 110 passing yards for 342 yards of total offense. W/WS/SC quarterback Todd Stekl completed 14-of-21 passes for 234 yards with a TD and two picks. Davion Brooks hauled in six receptions for 129 yards. .

9B

KSFY-KWSN Rankings: 1. Viborg/Hurley (1-0). 2. Harding County (1-0). 3. Avon (1-0). 4. Castlewood (0-0). 5. Hitchcock-Tulare (1-0).

#1Viborg-Hurley (1-0)

In a wide-open class, preseason 9B #1 Viborg-Hurley was at tbe top of class in a dominating 50-17 win over Gayville-Volin. Trevor Jacobson had 10 carries for 119 yards and two TDs (1, 24) while Tyler Gerdes had two carries for 66 yards including a 61-yard run and a 45-yard punt return. Jack Huether had a 34-yard interception return.

#2 Harding County (1-0)

The Ranchers ran over Dupree, 47-0, led by Steve Koch, who had 101 yards rushing and three TDs and quarterback Jess Feist who had 96 yards rushing with two TDs and 122 yards passing.

#3 Avon (1-0)

Brandon Kocmich had seven carries for 96 yards rushing and two TDs as 2011 9B runner-up Avon rolled to a season-opening 38-8 win over Tripp-Delmont/Armour. Also for Avon, Devin Tolsma had seven carries for 56 yards and a TD while quarterback Logan Mudder had four carries for 52 yards and a TD. He completed 3-of-5 passes for 15 yards. Tolsma led the defense with four tackles and a sack.

#4 Castlewood (0-0)

Castlewood opens the season at home against Lake Preston on August 31.

#5 Hitchcock-Tulare (1-0)

Led by Cole Chaplin, who had 13 carries for 152 yards and three total TDs (two by rush of 5, 52 yards), Hitchcock-Tulare opened with a 42-0 win over Northwestern. H-T had 32 carries for 312 yards on the ground and held Northwestern to -9 yards and 67 total yards.

Also of note --

Colome (1-0) may be a team to watch in 9B. They opened with a 26-6 win over Jones County as quarterback Terrance Kinzer had nine carries for 120 yards with two combined TDs (64-yard run, 10-yard pass) and running back Andrew Odden had 15 carries for 166 yards and TDs runs of four and 69 yards. Waverly-South Shore (1-0) ran its winning streak to 13 games with a 54-14 win over Great Plains Lutheran. Sam Pond was 7-of-13 for 86 yards and four TDs. Gavin Kolden had four carries for 150 yards and two TDs and a TD reception. Jacob Boettcher and Austin Comes each had two TD catches.

Iowa Notes

West Lyon (1-0) turned back Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (0-1), 14-7, in a matchup of rivals. West Lyon jumped to a 14-0 lead and then held off CL/G-LR. The Wildcats now own a 27-25 series lead over the Lions. For West Lyon, Kaleb Heyer scored on runs of four and three yards. He also had eight solo tackles and nine assists. Josh Hunt scored on a five-yard run for the Lions. West Lyon finished with 147 yards on the ground while CL/G-LR had 195 yards rushing and 32 passing.

Player Plaudits

This past weekend, a pair of players rushed for more than 200 yards, including Blake Reynolds of Parker and Tanner Lambert of Dakota Valley with Anthony Huber of BEE, just missing with 198 yards. Chase Marso threw for 301 yards while Trevor Naasz of Sioux Falls Lincoln had 133 yards receiving. Here is a run-down on the various prime-time performances.

Top Rushing Performances

Blake Reynolds, Parker, rushed 18 times for 246 yards with five TDs

Tanner Lambert, Dakota Valley, 25 carries, 213 yards, 2 TDs (4, 39)

Anthony Huber, Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan, 17 carries, 198 yards, 4 TDs

Ben Connot, Winner, 11 carries, 186 yards, 2 TDs (7, 70)

Jacob Patterson, Flandreau, 24 att., 176 yards, TD (1)

Andrew Odden, Colome, 15 att., 166 yards, 2 TDs (4, 69)

Cody Bonte, Garretson, 19 carries, 166 yards, TD

Tayte Clark of Sunshine Bible Academy, 30 carries, 162 yards, 2 TDs

Jacob Paradeis, Hanson, 14 carries, 155 yards, TD

Cole Chaplin of Hitchcock-Tulare, 13 att., 152 yards, 3 total TDs, two by rush (5, 52), 15 yard TD rec.

Gavin Kolden, Waverly-South Shore, 4 att., 150 yards, 3 total TDs (two by rush, 1 by reception)

Drew Planteen, Langford Area, 18 carries, 149 yards, 3 TDs (1, 4, 24)

Logan Koopman, Tri-Valley, 14 carries for 138 yards, TD

Sam Cooke, Sioux Falls Washington, 16 carries, 138 yards, 2 TDs (3, 12)

Trevor Heinesch, Kimball/White Lake, 13 carries, 135 yards, 2 TDs (59, 65)

Brayden Thares, Ipswich/Edmunds Central, 7 carries, 134 yards, TD (10), 74-yard TD reception

Zach Anderson, Gayville-Volin, 20 att., 134 yards, 53-yard TD run

Caden Quintanilla, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 19 carries for 130 yards, 2 TDs (2, 31)

Terrance Kinzer, Colome, 9 att., 120 yards, 2 combined TDs (64 yard run, 10 yard pass

Trevor Jacobson, Viborg-Hurley, 10 att., 119 yards, 2 TDs (1, 24)

Roy Lumpkin, Wolsey-Wessington, 4 att., 119 yards, TD (89)

Jace Christiansen, Flandreau, 8 att.., 118 yards, 2 TDs (45, 8)

Sam Cooke of Sioux Falls Washington, 11 carries, 119 yards, 2 TDs

Tristan Weber, Florence-Henry, 20 carries, 115 yards

Walker Willman, Beresford, 21 carries, 111 yards

Logan Evans, Plankinton, 17 att., 107 yards, 2 TDs

Dexter Lick, Tri-State, 20 attempts, 105 yards

Gunner Enz, Tea Area, 12 att., 104 yards, 2 TDs (30, 2)

Gage Skillingstad, Hill City, 21 carries, 103 yards, TD

Andrew McCuen, Harrisburg, 12 carries, 103 yards

Brandon Ness, Waubay-Summit, 10 carries, 102 yards, TD (34)

Steve Koch, Harding County, 101 yards, 3 TDs

Tanner Schulte of O'Gorman, 17 carries, 101 yards, TD passing (21)

Passing performances

Chase Marso, Brandon Valley, 30-of-43-301 yards, TD (6)

Lincoln Swenson, Deuel Area, 10-of-24 for 239 yards, 2 TDs and 16 carries for 94 yards

Todd Stekl, Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central, 14-of-21-234 yards, TD (35)

Kyler Johnson, Baltic, 18-of-38 for 230 yards, 3 TDs (6, 13, 16).

Jon Hander, Sioux Falls Washington, 10-of-14 for 211 yards, 3 TDs (50, 20, 22).

Chase Glazier, Custer, 10-of-17-202 yards, 2 TDs (78, 28)

Taryn Christion, Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 8-of-13 for 196 yards, 3 TDs (61, 20, 48)

Austin Hulscher, Wilmot, 12-of-21-190 yards, 3 TDs (27. 16, 35)

Connor Burchill of Sioux Falls Lincoln, 8-of-15, 174 yards, 3 TDs, 2 int.

Kaleb Vig of Brookings, 10-of-21, 153 yards, 3 TDs, 16 att., 50 yards, TD

Receiving Performances

Trevor Naasz, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 4 rec., 133 yards, 2 TDs (39, 52)

Davion Brooks, Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central, 6 rec., 129 yards

Landon Hammer, Wilmot, 9 rec., 117 yards, 2 TD (16, 27)

Kyle Peters, Kimball/White Lake, 4 rec., 117 yards, three TDs (5, 25, 37).

Justin Cassels, Deuel Area, 2 rec., 100 yards, 83-yard TD catch

Logan Otto, Tri-Valley, 4 rec., 91 yards, 3 TDs

Trevor Cassels, Deuel Area, 2 rec., 90 yards, 55-yard TD catch

Tanner Hennings, Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 3 rec., 83 yards, TD (61)

Matthew Vandeberg, Brandon Valley, 6 rec. 75 yards, 59 yard kickoff return

Other Noteworthy Performances

Dustin Livingston, Irene-Wakonda, 5 combined TDs (2 rush, 3 pass)

Jesse Taylor, Kimball/White Lake, 5 combined TDs, four passing (5-6-146 yards, TDs of 5, 37, 11, 25)

Sam Pond of Waverly-South Shore, 7-of-13 for 86 yards, 4 TDs

Seamus O'Malley, Centerville, 130 yards passing, 4 TDs

Tanner Fritz, Winner, 4 rushing TDs (1, 1, 5, 10)

Jaden Bartling, Gregory, 4 total TDs (68 yards rushing, TD; 89 yards passing, 3 TDs)

Defense -Special Teams

Caleb Lang, Freeman, had 18 tackles and an interception.

Luke Abbas, Centerville, 18 tackles

Lucas Lundstra, Brandon Valley, 11 tackles, 2 TFLs

Ethan Decosse, Sioux Falls Lincoln, had a 95-yard kickoff return

Dalton Cox, Aberdeen Roncalli, 17 tackles

Jacob Scofield, Flandreau, 10 tackles, interception

Shay Bratland, Watertown, had a 90-yard kickoff return

Evan Donahue, Howard, had 10 tackles and a fumble recovery

Kirby Fuerst, Mitchell, 14 tackles

Kasey Kurtz, Groton Area, had seven tackles, two sacks, two fumble recoveries