The Dell Rapids St Mary Cardinal football team traveled to Waverly to play the Waverly-South Shore Coyotes to start the season on on Friday, August 18th. St Mary held a 22-0 lead at halftime and then saw their lead cut to 22-12 by the end of the third quarter. The Cardinals were able to add a couple of scores in the fourth quarter for a comfortable 38-12 win.
Nic Gaspar got St Mary on the board with :45 remaining in the first quarter on a five-yard touchdown run. A made two-point conversion gave the Cardinals an 8-0 lead. Gaspar had his second rushing touchdown of the game with 7:57 to go in the first half. He scored on another five-yard run. Another two-point conversion extended the lead to 16-0. Less than three minutes later, Trimmier Hanson connected with Gaspar on a 10-yard pass for a touchdown to push the lead to 22-0.
The Coyotes were able to make some adjustments at halftime. The defense gave Waverly-South Shore some momentum when they scored on a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was no good, and with 8:54 left in third quarter, the score was 22-6. The Coyotes put another score on the board on a 20-yard touchdown pass with :09 left in the quarter cutting the lead to 22-12. Momentum shifted back to St Mary in the fourth quarter. Gaspar hauled in a 24-yard touchdown pass from Hanson with 7:56 left in the game. Hanson scored the two-point conversion for a 30-12 lead. The final score game with 3:50 to go. Gaspar had another five-yard touchdown run.
Gaspar had 10 carries for 111 yards and three rushing touchdowns to go along with four catches and 37 yards with two receiving touchdowns. Hanson had 17 carries for 56 yards. He was also 10-16 passing for 110 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Lucas Flemmer had 10 carries for 34 yards, and Lincoln LeBrun had five carries for 27 yards. Flemmer also had four catches for 46 yards.
Gaspar also had 12 tackles, a sack, and two pass break ups. LeBrun had nine tackles and a fumble recovery. Camden Gilbert added 8.5 tackles and two pass break ups. Logan Bauer had eight tackles, including two sacks. Keaton Hansen had 7.5 tackles and an interception. Mason Ahlers finished with 5.5 tackles and a fumble recovery. Hanson on 5.5 tackles, and Flemmer added five tackles and an interception.
“The boys played well. I felt we did a lot of good things four our first game, and we found things to correct and build on,” said head coach Ross Flemmer.
