A touchdown with :28 to go in the game and a made extra point gave the Dell Rapids Quarriers a 7-6 over the Lennox Orioles on Friday, August 30th in Lennox to open the 2019 season.  Coby Maeschen reached the ball across the goal line on a four-yard run on third down, and Aiden Boechler kicked the game-winning extra point for the win.

The game featured plenty of excitement including big defensive stops, drive altering penalties, momentum changing turnovers, and a last second score. 

Lennox took the opening kickoff and put together a well-scripted opening drive.  The Orioles marched down the field 65 yards and scored on the first drive of the game.  Haden Mendel scored on a one-yard touchdown run with 8:18 to play in the first quarter.  The two point conversion failed, and Lennox led 6-0.  Dell Rapids drove the ball into Oriole territory on their opening drive, but had their drive stop on a fourth down for a turnover on downs.  The two teams went back and forth throughout the first half getting the ball into each other’s side of the field only to have the defenses hold tough. 

The Quarriers looked as if they were going to tie the game on their first drive of the third quarter.  They held the ball for seven minutes and drove to the Lennox four yard line.  A fumbled snap was recovered by the Orioles, and the Quarriers were kept off the board.  Lennox then held the ball for nearly seven minutes on their first drive of the second half, which took the game into the fourth quarter, only to have their drive end in a punt.  Dell Rapids’ second drive also ended in a punt, but Colin Rentz was able to pin Lennox back to their own 10 yard line.  The Quarrier defense came out strong and held Lennox to just two yards forcing the Orioles to punt deep in their own territory.  Landon Ruesink made a fair catch on the Lennox 45 yard line with about 4:30 to go in the game.

The game-winning drive did feature some drama.  The Quarriers converted on a fourth down, Rentz made two great scrambles to avoid sacks as well as connect on a couple of passes, and then Maeschen pushed his way into the endzone on a third and short after a measurement which preserved a timeout for Dell Rapids.  The Quarriers then used the timeout to talk about the strategy for the extra point, and it was decided to send Boechler out to attempt the kick.  Boechler responded by putting the football through the middle of the uprights to give the Quarriers the lead.

Lennox’s last drive was also full of tension.  The drive started on their own 30 yard line.  The first play was a 19-yard pass to the Lennox 49, and the Orioles called a timeout.  The second play was a completed pass to the Dell Rapids 39 yard line.  The third play was a nine-yard gain to the Dell Rapids 30.  Lennox called back-to-back timeouts with :05 to play to put together their last second play.  Josh Arlt heaved the ball to the goal line looking for Will Daugherty, but Ruesink jumped in front of Daugherty and knocked the ball away to seal the victory for Dell Rapids.

The Quarriers finished the game with 220 total yards of offense, 101 passing yards and 119 rushing yards.  Dell Rapids had 18 first downs and turned the ball over two times.  Rentz was 10-18 passing for 101 yards and an interception.  Maeschen had five catches for 56 yards, Tyler Wood had three catches for 29 yards, and Logan Ellingson had two catches for 16 yards.  Maeschen also had 13 carries for 48 yards and a touchdown.  Logan Stone had 13 carries for 37 yards.  Drew VanRegenmorter finished with seven tackles and a sack.  Ruesink had six tackles.  Brayden Gee, Connor Rentz, and Maeschen all had five tackles each.  Trevon Cross had four tackles, and Ellingson recorded an interception.

Dell Rapids (1-0) will have their first home game of the season on Friday, September 6th when they host the Flandreau Fliers.  The game can be seen on Big Sioux Media.