Leading by just a point after a Mitchell touchdown, the Dell Rapids Quarrier defense kept the Kernals out of the endzone on a two-point conversion attempt to keep the Quarriers undefeated in the 2019 season. Dell Rapids went to Mitchell on Friday, September 20th, and came home with a 7-6 road victory.
The defenses of both teams were the stars of this game. Mitchell finished with just 230 total yards, while the Quarriers were held to just 173 total yards. The teams were a combined 7-20 on third down attempts and 3-8 on fourth down attempts.
Mitchell had the ball to start the game and drove deep into Quarrier territory. On a third down play near the Quarrier ten yard line, Coby Maeschen intercepted a pass for the first turnover of the game. Mitchell returned the favor about a minute and a half later with an interception of their own. Neither team was able to get on the scoreboard in the first quarter.
Dell Rapids broke through with a touchdown with 5:42 to play in the second quarter. Maeschen scored on a one-yard touchdown run after a drive that lasted over seven minutes. Aiden Boechler made the extra point, and Dell Rapids held a 7-0 lead. The lead would stand through the remainder of the second quarter into halftime.
Neither offense could get into a groove in the third quarter as the score remained 7-0 heading into the fourth quarter. Mitchell moved the ball deep into the Quarrier territory, but the Quarrier defense shut down the Kernals on fourth down to get the ball back with 5:42 to play. However, on the very first play, Dell Rapids fumbled the snap and the Kernals recovered the ball. Mitchell then took the ball inside the Quarrier five yard line. The Dell Rapids defense kept Mitchell out of the endzone on three plays and forced a fourth and goal. The Quarriers hit Parker Phillips in the backfield, but he spun out of the tackle and scored to pull the Kernals within a point at 7-6 with 3:03 to play.
Mitchell called one of their timeouts and decided to go for the two-point conversion instead of the game-tying extra point. Mitchell quarterback Austin Kerr lobbed a pass to the corner of the end zone that fell incomplete, but a pass interference call was made against the Quarriers. That gave Mitchell another chance at the conversion from the 1.5 yard line. The hand off was given to Phillips, but he was tackled short of the goal line by Brayden Gee to keep the score at 7-6. Dell Rapids caught the onside kick attempt and ran out the clock for the win.
Colin Rentz finished the game 6-9 passing for 62 yards and an interception. Tyler Wood had three catches for 36 yards, and Logan Ellingson had three catches for 26 yards. Logan Stone had 10 carries for 38 yards on the ground. Maeschen had nine carries for 36 yards and a touchdown. Wood also had five carries for 11 yards.
Maeschen led the defense with 17 tackles and an interception. Trevon Cross had 11 tackles. Wood and Carter Rentz both had nine tackles and a tackle for loss. Drew VanRegenmorter had eight tackles, and Gee finished with seven tackles.
Dell Rapids (4-0) will travel to Tri-Valley to play the Mustangs on Friday, September 27th. The game can be seen on Big Sioux Media.
