The De Smet Bulldogs had their 2024 football season come to an end in the opening round of the 9AA playoffs on Thursday, October 24th. The Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy Phoenix advanced with 58-14 win.
The Phoenix scored with 9:45 in the opening quarter on a 12-yard run. The two-point conversion gave Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy an 8-0 lead. They added to the lead with 5:29 to go in the quarter on a two-yard touchdown and two point conversion. The Phoenix would get one more score before the end of the first quarter. With :32 left on the clock, they scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion increased their lead to 24-0. Ganon Henrich put the Bulldogs on the board with a big 76-yard run with 4:18 to go in the second quarter to cut the lead to 24-6. Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy scored with :20 remaining on an eight-yard touchdown pass and then added the two-point conversion for a 32-6 halftime lead.
The Phoenix scored in the first twenty seconds of the third quarter on a 68-yard touchdown run. They would recover the ensuing kickoff and then scored with 9:16 in the third quarter on an 18-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion extended the lead to 46-6. Ganon Giligan had a two-yard touchdown run with 1:44 left in the third quarter. Henrich scored the two-point conversion, and the score was 46-14 going into the fourth quarter.
The Phoenix scored two more times in the fourth quarter. They had a 24-yard touchdown pass with 9:09 to play in the game. The final touchdown came on a two-yard pass with 4:19 left in the game.
