The Dell Rapids Quarrier football team opened the 11A playoffs with a home win over the Milbank Bulldogs on Thursday, October 30th. The Quarriers pulled away in the second half for a 38-13 win, the second time Dell Rapids had defeated Milbank this year.
Jackson Peppel put the Quarriers on the board first with a 38-yard touchdown run with 5:35 to go in the first quarter. Kenny Swanson made the extra point to give Dell Rapids a 7-0 lead. Milbank would tie the game seconds later. They scored on a 73-yard touchdown pass, and made the extra point, with 5:19 left in the quarter to tie the score 7-7. The first quarter ended with a 7-7 tie.
Both teams were held scoreless through the vast majority of the second quarter. Dell Rapids had the ball deep in their own territory in the closing seconds of the half. Hayden Hansen would connect with Karson Paye on an 86-yard touchdown pass down the sideline to give the Quarriers a jolt before halftime. Swanson made the extra point to put the Quarriers in front 14-7 at the half.
The Quarriers added to their lead late in the third quarter. Ryan Stubbe had a seven-yard touchdown run with 3:49 to play in the quarter. Swanson made the extra point to make the score 21-7. Milbank was able to get the ball deep into Quarrier territory, but Paye intercepted a pass at the five-yard line on a fourth-down play to keep the Bulldogs out of the end zone. Dell Rapids took advantage of that interception as Peppel ran for 70 yards for a touchdown. Swanson’s made extra point made the score 28-7 with 1:38 left in the third quarter.
After forcing the Bulldogs to punt on their next drive, Dell Rapids got into the end zone again early in the fourth quarter. Swanson had a 39-yard touchdown run and then made the extra point to give Dell Rapids a 35-7 lead. Milbank was able to get into the end zone with 9:29 to play in the game on a one-yard run . The extra point was blocked keeping the score 35-13. Swanson added a 27-yard field goal with 2:20 left in the game for a 38-13 score.
Dell Rapids finished with 460 yards of offense, 353 rushing yards and 107 passing yards. Milbank had 277 yards of offense, 59 rushing yards and 218 passing yards. The Bulldogs turned the ball over three times, while Dell Rapids had two turnovers.
Drake Eastman was 2-8 passing for 21 yards and two interceptions. Hansen was 1-1 for 86 yards and a touchdown. Paye had two catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Cooper Cuny had a catch for 12 yards. Peppel had four carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Stubbe had 20 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown. Swanson added nine carries for 76 yards and a touchdown. Jace Brende finished with 5.5 tackles. Ryan Baker had five tackles. Connor Jones finished with 4.5 tackles. Eastman and Swanson both had four tackles each. Carson Maeschen had 3.5 tackles with two sacks. Paye had two interceptions, and Peppel also had an interception.
Dell Rapids will host Lennox in the semifinals on Friday, November 7th at 7:00 p.m.
