An extra point blocked by the Dell Rapids Quarriers proved to be the difference as Dell Rapids defeated the Vermillion Tanagers 29-28 on Friday, August 31st at Dell Rapids High School. The win was the first win of the season for the 5th ranked Quarriers.
Vermillion scored first with 2:06 to go in the first quarter. Jacob Peterson connected with Gray Peterson on an 18-yard pass for a touchdown. Connor Saunders kicked the extra point to give the Tanagers a 7-0 lead.
Dell Rapids scored the next three touchdowns of the game. Logan Ellingson electrified the home crowd with an 85-yard kick-off return for a touchdown with 1:51 to go in the first quarter. Hunter Garry kicked the extra point to tie the game at 7-7. Max Lamer scored the next touchdown for the Quarriers with 10:44 to go in the second quarter on a seven-yard run. Garry made the extra point. With 2:27 to play in the first half, Nick Boever scored on a five-yard run, and after the extra point was made by Garry, Dell Rapids had a 21-7 lead. Vermillion was able to cut the lead with 1:03 to play in the second quarter on a 19-yard touchdown pass from J. Peterson to John LaCognata. Saunders made the extra point, and Dell Rapids led 21-14 at halftime.
The Tanagers pulled within a point with 7:38 to play in the third quarter. J. Peterson scored on a one-yard touchdown run. Coby Maeschen and Boever broke through the line and blocked the extra point attempt of Saunders, and the Quarriers held on to a one point lead at 21-20.
Boever scored his second touchdown of the game with 8:19 to play in the fourth quarter on a three-yard run. Eddie Price ran into the endzone for the two-point conversion to give Dell Rapids a 29-20 lead. Vermillion added another score with 3:56 to play after a seven-yard touchdown pass from J. Peterson to Trevor Tarr. Mitchell Dougherty scored the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 29-28. Dell Rapids was able to run out the clock the remainder of the game to hang on for the win.
Price finished the game 5-11 passing for 114 yards. Boever had 16 carries for 76 yards and two touchdowns. Logan Ellingson one catch for 40 yards. Avery Welbig had one catch for 30 yards, and Mason Goeken had a catch for 10 yards. Maeschen led the team defensively with 13 tackles. Drew VanRegenmorter, Brandon Geraets, and Kenyon Shellum all had four tackles each.
Dell Rapids (1-1) will travel to Belle Fourche on Friday, September 7th. The game can be seen on Big Sioux Media.