Other Week 6 highlights Pierre over Watertown and Warner over Faulkton Area

CLARK — Injured Clark-Willow Lake senior Tyson Huber made the most of what will likely be the final official athletic moment on his life on Friday.

Five months after suffering a second left knee injury (this one a torn patella tendon), Huber got his chance to make his only appearance of the 2023 football season for the Cyclones.

Huber successful drilled a point-after kick late in the first half that ended up being the difference in Clark-Willow Lake's 7-6 homecoming win over Mobridge-Pollock.

Huber said he came to terms last spring when his doctor told him he likely wouldn't get to compete in sports again. He had talked Clark-Willow Lake head coach Dave Severson into giving him one chance this fall. The injured knee was the plant knee for his kick.

"I kind of did (come to terms with it) awhile back," said Huber, who played football, basketball and track for the Cyclones. "Right after I made the kick, I got a little emotional. It came right back to me and then I realized how much I missed it."

The Cyclones snapped a three-game losing streak with a homecoming victory that was a defensive struggle from start to finish.

Clark-Willow Lake (2-3) scored with just over a minute remaining in the first half on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Emmerson Larson to Josh Kannegieter. Huber then added the PAT.

Mobridge-Pollock (2-3) scored with seven minutes left in the game on a 37-yard pass from Jackson Eisemann to Simon Fried.

The Cyclones stopped the Tigers' bid for a two-point conversion run and then ran out the clock with a lengthy drive.

Some background to Huber's special moment

The younger brother of former Clark-Willow Lake standout Trey Huber, Tyson burst onto the scene by placing second in the Class A boys' high jump as a freshman in the 2021 state track meet. He's also played football and basketball for the Cyclones.

Huber first injured his left knee in Clark-Willow Lake's first track practice in the spring of 2022, ripping part of his tibia bone. After surgery as a sophomore, he returned midway through his junior season last fall and played the whole basketball season before snapping his patella tendon in his left knee in the Cyclones' first track meet at Brookings.

"My muscles were growing too fast compared to my bones and they overpowered the bones," said Huber, who received notice from his doctor after the second knee injury that his athletic career would have to end to avoid potentially bigger complications.

Hatching a plan with the coach

Huber said starting talking Severson about getting a chance to be involved in one play during this — his senior season — of football.

"We had talked about putting him in at quarterback and having him throw a pass to his younger brother Talon or something like that," said Severson. "He asked about trying to kick a field goal (or point-after kick), but I wasn't sure.

"We talked about doing it against Dakota Hills next week but we wanted to do it at home on homecoming. We did it tonight and that was it. It ended up being the difference in the game."

Huber admitted he didn't get approval from his doctor, but his folks did gave consent to the plan which included a bail-out plan if the Mobridge-Pollock's defensive rush could have meant further injury.

He picked up his equipment on Friday, wore it during the game and turned it right back in after the game.

Huber has his next visit with his doctor on Thursday.

"I don't know what he's going to say," Huber said. "I didn't hurt myself, so I'll be alright."

How the Cyclones got the win

Clark-Willow Lake outgained Mobridge-Pollock 231-191 in total yards. Griffin Musser rushed 22 times for 68 yards and Larson 11 for 38 to lead the Cyclones. Larson also completed six of 13 passes for 81 yards, two to Jack Helkenn for 36 and two Musser for 23. Helkenn recorded nine tackles and Elliot Bratland six to go along with a quarterback sack and an interception.

"I thought we had a good balanced attack on offense, rushing and passing but we had a few drive-killing penalties that are uncharacteristic of us," said Severson. "Defensively, we had a bend-but-don't break type of game. We defended the pass very well. We knew they could throw and we were able to hold them in check with only five completions."

Jackson Eisemann ran 13 times for 65 yards and Mack Saxon 17 for 54 to lead Mobridge-Pollock. Eisemann went 5-19 for 64 yards passing. Fried caught four passes for 57 yards and Carter Hinsz led the defense with eight tackles, including a quarterback sack.

The win was pretty much a necessity if the Cyclones have any chance to returning to the state playoffs this fall. It's still likely they'll need to win their final two games, including one over an Aberdeen Roncalli team that is 4-1, for that to happen.

No matter what happens, the Cyclones and Huber will have a memory of homecoming victory that shouldn't fade away.

"Tyson wanted one play, so we let him kick. He put it through the uprights for his one and only play of his senior year of football," said Severson.

Here are highlights from other reported games on Friday:

Pierre 49, Watertown 20

PIERRE — Fourth-rated Watertown's bid to upset No. 1 Pierre in a battle of Eastern South Dakota Class 11AA football teams got off on the wrong foot Friday night and never recovered.

The game was moved up an hour earlier in the day because of the threat of storms and a heavy rain did push the altered start ahead 30 minutes.

Watertown won the toss and elected to receive. But a botched kick went only to midfield and Pierre recovered. A few plays later, Cade Kaiser connected with Jett Zabel on a 20-yard touchdown pass to put the Governors ahead for good in a 49-20 victory.

Six-time defending state 11AA champion Pierre pushed its record to 5-0 and its winning streak to 20 games, while also giving head coach Steve Steele his 72nd career win over the Govs. He is now tied with Phil Trautner as the all-time career wins leader for the program.

Despite wet conditions and rains that varied from a steady drizzle to a downpour, the Governors made their mark in the air against the Arrows. Kaiser completed 17 of 35 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns.

Zabel caught a 14-yard TD pass early in the second quarter and the Govs also got TD runs from Zabel (4 yards) and Kaiser (10 yards) to grab a 28-6 halftime lead.

Watertown's lone first-half score came on a 7-ayrd run by Juven Hudson with 2:04. Pierre answered with Kaiser's TD before the half ended.

Cole Hansen's interception to open the second half led to a 44-yard scoring pass from Treyton Himmerich to Spencer Wientjes for the Arrows. Hudson's conversion run made it 28-14 with 10:09 left in the third quarter.

The Governors took over from there. Kaiser teamed with George Stalley on a 62-yard TD pass with 9:16 left in the third quarter and after stopping a fake punt by Watertown on its next possession, Kaiser hit Zabel on a 22-yard TD strike with 6:27 left in the period. Pierre's final score came early in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Brock Moser.

The Arrows closed out the game's scoring when Owen Spartz picked off Pierre reserve quarterback Kaleb Lounsbury and returned it 33 yards for a Pick Six.

Ryann Barry, one of two girls soccer players who share kicking duties for Pierre, went 7-for-7 on extra-point kicks.

The Govs (5-0 overall and in the 11AA portion of the ESD) accumulated 440 yards of offense. Kaiser ran for 10 times for 70 of Pierre's 106 rushing yards. Stalley had six catches for 165 yards, Zabel eight for 109, Moser three for 28 and Cooper Terwilliger two for 44. Pierre's defense recorded five sacks.

Watertown finished with 113 yards rushing including 110 by Hudson on 24 totes. Himmerich completed eight of 18 passes for 128 yards. Colton Vlasman made two catches for 25 yards, Markus Pitkin two for 24 and Kohen Kranz two for 23. Peyton Buisker made four solo tackles and two assists and Austin Johnson 3-2. Johnson and Caden Beauchamp each were credited with quarterback sacks.

The Arrows will look to rebound Friday when they visit Aberdeen Central in an other 11AA ESD game at 7 p.m.

Aberdeen Central 30, Huron 6

ABERDEEN — Avery Ligon rushed 16 times for 171 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead the Golden Eagles to the Eastern South Dakota Conference win on homecoming.

Ligon scored on an 81-yard run and on a 26-yard pass from Michael Anderson. Austin Erickson ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns (23 and 11) and Joey Dallman kicked a 23-yard field goal and three point-after kicks.

Anderson completed four of seven passes for 108 yards for the Golden Eagles (3-2), who got interceptions from Cordel Rychlik, Brayden Comstock, Tate Huff and Gabe Sumner.

Colton McNeil completed 15 of 30 passes for 127 yards and scored on a 1-yad run for Huron (2-3). Cashton Caudell ran 13 times for 104 yards, Gavin Moeding caught six passes for 45 yards and Kolby Hofer had an interception.

Warner 27, Faulkton Area 20

FAULKTON — Hunter Cramer's 1-yard touchdown run with 12 seconds left lifted No. 2 Class 9A Warner to the win over No. 1 Class 9B Faulkton Area in a game that was part of the Lake Region Classic.

The two teams were tied at 14-14 at halftime and Warner led 20-14 after three quarters. Faulkton Area (5-1) tied the game on Layne Cotton's 71-yard run with 5:42 remaining before the Monarchs (5-0) answered.

Cramer also scored on an 81-yard punt return and tossed TD passes to Jesiah Baum (25 yards) and Payton Volk (26 yards) for Warner. Cramer rushed for 54 yards and completed 11 of 20 passes for 169 yards. Volk ran nine times for 71 yards.

Chays Mansfield made 10 tackles and Charlie Dulany eight with a fumble recovery for Warner. Volk caught four passes for 74 yards and also intercepted a pass.

Cotton, who ran 14 times for 158 yards, also added two 6-yard TD runs for the Trojans. Garrett Cramer collected seven tackles and Spencer Melius six with an interception.

Estelline-Hendricks 34, Centerville 22

ESTELLINE — Estelline-Hendricks survived a first-period storm by the Tornadoes of Centerville and rallied for the non-conference win on Friday.

The Redhawks improved to 3-2 with their third-straight win and dropped Centerville to 2-4.

Alex Austin tossed TD passes to James Buckenberg (11 yards), Corvin Wattier (65) and Noah Schoenfelder (27) to lead Centerville to a 22-8 lead after the first quarter. The Redhawks scored in the period on an 7-yard YTD run by Caden Ching and a conversion run by Mattix Hausman.

Estelline-Hendricks erased a 22-8 halftime deficit with a 6-yard TD run and conversion by Hausman and a 33-yard TD pass from Hausman to Wyat James.

Ching's 34-yard TD run in the fourth quarter put the Redhawks up and Cooper Faehnrich's PIck 6 (interception returned for a TD) nailed down the comeback win.

Ching rushed 12 times for 168 yards and Hausman 24 for 102. Hausman also completed four of six passes for 49 yards and intercepted three passes on defense. Carson Reitz tallied 13 tackles, Faehnrich 12, Matthew McAninch 11 and Camden Miller and James six apiece.

Deuel 48, Dakota Hills 7

WAUBAY — Deuel improved to 6-0 with the Eastern Coteau Conference win.

Gavin Kloos (15 and 5 yards), Gabe Sather (2 yards), Trey Maaland (10 yards) and Carson Marko (15 yards) each scored TD runs for the Cardinals Maaland tossed scoring passes to Dexter Unzen (5 yards) and Olivier Fieber (35 yards). Brandon Fieber added six point-after kicks.

Maaland passed for 200 yards, Kloos rushed for 130 and Sather had 100 yards receiving.

Kaden TeKrony led Deuel's defensive with five tackles including a quarterback sack. Marko added four tackles, Aidan Baer three tackles including a sack, Rob Begalka three tackles and a fumble recovery and Ethan Prins a sack.

The Grizzlies (0-6) scored on a 69-yard pass from Tyler Heinje to Tigh Gaikowski, who finished with three catches for 70 yards and also had 78 return yards. Evan Aker went 3-for-5 passing for 26 yards and Jaxon Dockter caught two passes for 25. Brooks Dolan ran for 24 yards and joined Dylan Rumpza with eight tackles. Hunter Bourassa added six and Heinje five.

Hamlin 59, Castlewood 6

HAYTI — Tyson Stevenson rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two others to spark the second-rated Class 9AA Chargers (6-0).

Stevenson rushed nine times for 74 yards and hit paydirt on 1 and 3-yard runs. He also completed nine of 13 passes for 122 yards, connecting with Zac VanMeeteren (33 yards) and Jackson Wadsworth (20 yards) on scoring passes.

Wadsworth (4 yards), Mason Trowbridge (9 and 10 yards), Boden Stevenson (15 yards) and Watson Grantham (7 yards) added TD runs. Trowbridge gained 99 yards rushing on 11 carries and Wadsworth 69 on seven. Hamlin gained 346 total rushing yards. VanMeeteren made three catches for 54 yards.

Lane Tvedt completed five of 17 passes for 121 yards, including a 68-yard scoring strike to Jackson Schofield for Castlewood (1-4). Schofield caught two passes for 74 yards. Camron Eng rushed six times for 52 yards and hauled in two passes for 41.

Eng recorded 10 tackles, Adam Heyn six and Jyler Tharldsen five for Castlewood. Heyn and Schofield each had quarterback sacks.

Waverly-South Shore 48, Northwestern 0

ABERDEEN — Zach Ries passed for five touchdowns and added two conversions to lead the Coyotes to the big win in the Lake Region Conference Classic.

Cody Thompson (35 and 41 yards)and Kyle Kneeland (15 and 18) each hauled in two TD catches for the Coyotes (2-4). Thompson also scored two rushing TDs (20, 6) and a conversion and Evan Ekern hauled in a 4-yard scoring pass from Ries.

Thompson ran eight times for 98 yards and made four catches for 125 yards. Ries finished 8-for-19 passing for 193 yards and contributed 85 yards rushing.

Bryan Ramirez made five tackles and also blocked a punt for the Coyotes (2-4). Thompson, Colten Schroeder and Sam Appelhof each picked off passes.

Dustin Dirksen ran for 46 yards and Dallas Stoltenberg completed 10 of 20 passes for 83 yards for Northwestern (0-5). Landon Braun caught five passes for 29 yards and also had four tackles.

Groton Area 35, Sisseton 12

SISSETON — Lane Tietz passed for three touchdowns and Korbin Kucker added two rushing TDs to lead Groton Area (4-2) to the Northeast Conference win.

Tietz completed 13 of 22 passes for 160 yards including scoring passes to Colby Dunker (5 yards) and Keegen Tracy (12 and 27 yards). Teylor Diegel caught five passes for 70 yards and Tracy five for 64.

Logan Ringgenberg and Brevin Fliehs each recorded six tackles and Kucker five for the Tigers' defense. Tracy finished with three interceptions and Kucker one.

Sisseton (1-5) scored on a 26-yard pass from Ethan DeSpiegler to Mason Herzog and on a 1-yard run by DeSpiegler, who completed 10 of 23 passes for 130 yards. Landyn Steichen made eight tackles and Hughin Current and Vincent Donnel each seven.

Deubrook Area 50, Florence-Henry 0

WHITE — The Dolphins pushed their record to 5-1 with the win over the 0-5 Falcons.

Gavin Landmark (54, 5 and 6 yards), Blake Hanson (15 yards) and Ty Landmark (15) each found the end zone on scoring runs for Deubrook Area. Jace Vomacka tossed a 15-yard scoring pass to Josh Moberg and J.P. Rogness returned a punt 78 yards for another score.

Gavin Landmark rushed four times for 78 yards and Ty Landmark five for 44 for the Dolphins, who were cited for a team effort on defense.

Sioux Valley 34, McCook Central-Montrose 12

SALEM — The second-rated Class 11B Cossacks stayed unbeaten (6-0) by rushing 44 times for 350 yards and four touchdowns.

Donovan Rose carried the football 12 times for 179 yards and two TDs (18 and 72) and Boden Schiller 13 for 121 and two TDs (38 and 19). Schiller also teamed with Hudsyn Ruesink on a 9-yard TD pass.

Caleb Murphy made 11 tackles, Mitchell Guthmiller 8 and Brock Christopherson seven for Sioux Valley, which got interceptions from Hunter Steinhaus and Braden Danzeisen.

Lane Deutsch scored on a 2-yard run and also tossed a 4-yard TD pass to Carter Randall for McCook Central-Montrose (1-5). Deutsch completed 14 of 38 passes for 184 yards, teaming with Ty Morrison three times for 103 nd Mason Sabers four for 68. Randall added 44 yards rushing.

Deutsch and Randall each had interceptions. Deutsch and Ben Wiebersick each picked off passes.

Elkton-Lake Benton 55, Iroquois-Lake Preston 0

LAKE PRESTON — Fifth-rated Class 9AA Elkton-Lake Benton (5-1) got back on the winning track with the win.

Riddick Westley (65-yard run), Carson Griffith (50 pass from Colt Beck), Tanner Drietz (24 pass from Beck) and Tanner Stein (28 interception return) scored TDs for the Elks. Lane Schindler also completed a 25-yard TD pass and ELB scored on runs of 40, 30 and 27 (names not reported).

Teigan Krog had five tackles and Schindler four. Drietz added an interception and a fumble recovery.

The Elks finished with 431 yards of total offense, including 301 rushing, compared to 56 for the Sharks (0-6). Lucas Peskey rushed for 27 yards and also made six tackles. Josh McMasters added 25 yards passing and AJ Wienk and Ben Curd four tackles apiece.

Hitchcock-Tulare 52, Sunshine Bible Academy 0

MILLER — Erik Salmen and Brendan Nowell each had a hand in three touchdowns to spark fifth-rated Hitchcock-Tulare to victory.

Salmen, who rushed 11 times for 93 yards, scored on runs of 4 and 8 yards and also tossed a 29-yard TD pass to Payton Chasing Hawks. Nowell scored on a 20-yard run and tossed TD passes to Patrick Maynard (19 yards) and Jackson Maynard (7 yards). Nowell went 9-9 passing for 149 yards.

Chasing Hawks (69 yards) and Blaze Binger (2 yards) added TD runs for the 4-2 Patriots. Salmen had seven solo tackles and two assists, Binger 4-4 with two quarterback sacks and Dalton Rathjen 2-11 with a sack and a fumble recovery. Salmen made two interceptions and Nowell one.

Troy Paul rushed 22 times for 67 yards for the 0-5 Crusaders, who got six tackles apiece from Trevor Laschkewitsch, Jimmy Burma and Anthony Mitchell.

Dell Rapids 63, Milbank 8

MILBANK — Mason Stubbe rushed four times for 168 yards and scored four touchdowns for No. 1 Class 11A Dell Rapids (5-0).

He scored on runs of 80, 58 and 27 yards and also returned an interception 50 yards for another score. Cole Ruesink added 86 yards rushing and a 25-yard TD.

The Quarriers also got TD runs from Sutton Williams (9 yards) and Jeremiah McDougall (4 yards) and a 50-yard TD pass from Jack Henry to Treyse Eastman. Dell Rapids also had another 15-yard TD run.

Dell Rapids outgained Milbank 452-183 with 402 yards on the ground. Aiden Geraets had four solo tackles and eight assists for the Quarriers, who had two interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

Garrett Mertens completed seven of 12 passes for 130 yards, including a 32-yard scoring pass to Owen Tesch, for Milbank (2-3). Emmett Hanson caught two passes for 26 yards.

Herreid-Selby Area 28, Sully Buttes 0

SELBY — Houston Hauge rushed 25 times for 163 yards and two touchdowns (27, 4 yards) for the 4-2 Wolverines.

Parker Gregg added a 16-yard TD run and Trevor Gill hauled in a 58-yard TD pass from Wade Grage.

Grage completed eight of 13 passes for 95 yards, teaming with Gill five times for 77 yards. Collin Tisdall and Cole Zabel each made seven tackles and Gregg six. Tisdall also had an interceptions and a fumble recovery.

Webster Area 47, Redfield 6

REDFIELD — Webster Area evened its record at 3-3 by rushing for 371 yards in the Northeast Conference win.

Carson Mount rushed 16 times for 134 yards and scored on an 84-yard pass from Ian Lesnar. Brent Bearman ran for 135 yards on 16 carries including a 63-yard TD jaunt. Gavin Witt rushed four times for 101 yards and scored on a 55-yard run.

Lesnar completed 10 of 13 passes for 186 yards and four TDs, teaming with Jacob Keller five times for 70 yards and two scores (6 and 12 yards). He also connected with Jack Shoemaker on a 5-yard TD pass.

Matthew Mount and Trey Dunse each had six solo tackles and three assists for Webster Area's defense. Mount added two sacks and an interception and Dunse a quarterback sack. Bearman had four solos and three assists and Keller added an interception.

Redfield (0-5) scored on a 62-yard pass from Chase McGillivary to Justin Ratigan.

Leola-Frederick Area 16, Ipswich 12

ABERDEEN —Leola-Frederick Area improved to 4-2 by holding off the 3-3 Tigers in the Lake Region Classic game.

The winning Titans scored on a 20-yard pass from Brayden Sumption to Levi Little and on a 1-yard run by Westyn Thorpe.

Ipswich's TDs came on a 13-yard run by Max Kulesa and a 3-yard run by Kyle Hettich.

Gavin Nickelson finished with 141 yards rushing, Sumption 90 and Thorpe 56 for LFA. Sumption completed four of six passes for 60 yards.

Casey Geditz had 41 yards rushing and Hettich 38 for the Tigers. Kulesa went 7-for-21 passing for 161 yards, teaming with Trevor Heinz four times for 62 and Hettich two for 64.

Nickelson and Noah Kippley each made four stops for LFA's defense. Chet Peterson recorded 11 tackles and Geditz and Hettich each nine for Ipswich.

Other Games

Britton-Hecla 44, Arlington 8

Tiospa Zina Tribal 57, Marty Indian 0

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Week 6 of the South Dakota High School football season