The Dell Rapids Quarriers won their third straight 11A Football Championship on Friday, November 9th, at the Dakota Dome with a 47-0 win over the Harrisburg Tigers.
The Quarriers got off to a sluggish start by committing four of their eight penalties in the first quarter. Cole Langer, however, would find the endzone with 1:15 to go in the first quarter on a 2-yard run to give the Quarriers a 7-0 lead after the first quarter. Harrisburg fumbled on the first play in the second quarter, and that was a enough of a spark for Dell Rapids. Langer would find the endzone again three plays later on an 18-yard run, and Dell Rapids extended the lead to 14-0. After a Tiger punt, Riley Schmidt scored on a 44-yard touchdown run with 9:03 to go to give Dell Rapids a 20-0 lead. The Quarriers would score one more time before the half on a 19-yard run by Lane LeBrun to take a 28-0 halftime lead.
Harrisburg started with the ball in the second half and drove down to the Dell Rapids 11 yard line, but the Quarrier defense would shut down the Tiger offense. Harrisburg would attempt a 28-yard field goal that missed wide to the left. Michael McGee would add another score two plays later on a 76-yard run that would put Dell Rapids ahead 35-0. Dell Rapids would score quickly again after a punt in the third quarter. Schmidt found the endzone for the second time on a 17-yard run with 4:19 left in the third quarter to give the Quarriers a 41-0 lead. Harrisburg would drive down to the Dell Rapids two yard line at the end of the third quarter. But three plays into the fourth quarter, Schmidt would pick up a fumbled pitch and run it 89 yards for the final touchdown of the game, and give the Quarriers a 47-0 win.
Schmidt had four carries for 112 yards and two rushing touchdowns in the game. Langer carried 12 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns. McGee had three carries for 77 yards and a touchdown. L. LeBrun had eight carries for 58 yards and a touchdown. Matt Kolbeck was 1-2 passing for 40 yards. Jacob Morris had the lone reception for 40 yards. Dell Rapids finished the game with 358 yards of rushing and 40 yards of passing for a total of 398 yards in the game. Langer finished the game with 11 tackles to lead the defense. McGee, Jackson Entringer, and Ryan Nichols each had seven tackles apiece. Schmidt finished with six tackles and a fumble recovery. Cody Nielsen had an interception to go along with four tackles in the game.
Riley Schmidt was named the SD Sports Writers “Joe Robbie” MVP and the SD Coaches Association Awards Outstanding Back. Jackson Entringer was named the SD Coaches Association Awards Outstanding Lineman.