BROOKINGS – For the second straight week, the second quarter doomed the Bobcats.

Harrisburg put up 28 points in the second frame en route to a 41-0 Eastern South Dakota Conference win over Brookings on Friday at Dykhouse Stadium.

“We’re not doing the things we need to to be successful,” said Bobcat assistant coach Scott Miller in a postgame interview. “We are a better football team than this; we just need to get on the right page at the same time.”

The ‘Cats dodged a bullet in the first quarter when Jon White missed a field goal attempt for the Tigers 3 1/2 minutes into the first quarter.

After trading punts – two for Brookings and one for Harrisburg – the Tigers took over on their own 31 with two minutes left in the first quarter and drove 69 yards on 10 plays to get on the scoreboard early in the second quarter.

Jack Anderson’s 2-yard TD run with 10:49 on the clock in the second gave Harrisburg the early lead as White’s extra point attempt was good.

After a 3-and-out for Brookings, the Tigers drove into Bobcat territory, but another White field goal attempt from 22 yards out went wide left to keep it 7-0.

The ‘Cats picked up a first down before having to punt inside of 5 minutes.

Harrisburg then went 52 yards on seven plays to make it 14-0 after White’s PAT with 1:22 left.

Brookings fumbled on the ensuing kickoff to give the ball back to the Tigers, and then, tacked on an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to give Harrisburg the ball at the 4-yard line.

Anderson went up the middle for a TD to push the margin to 21 points following White’s PAT with 1:10 remaining in the half.

Facing third-and-three, the ‘Cats fumbled the ball and Harrisburg recovered near midfield with 44 seconds on the clock.

The Tigers needed just five plays – including a spike to stop the clock – to go 51 yards as Anderson cruised in for his third TD of the quarter with 14 seconds to play in the half as Harrisburg led 28-0 at intermission.

The Tigers tacked on three more scores in the third quarter for the final margin.

White drilled a 29-yarder to make it 31-0 before another Bobcat fumble deep in their own territory led to another Tiger score.

Sam Loos romped in from 3 yards out and White notched another PAT for a 38-0 edge.

After another 3-and-out from the ‘Cats, Harrisburg used 14 plays to score on another field goal from White – this time from 27 yards out – as Harrisburg increased its lead to 41-0 with six seconds left in the third.

Neither team scored in the final 12 minutes as Brookings dropped to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in Class 11AA Eastern South Dakota Conference play.

Harrisburg improved to 4-3 on the season and 3-0 in the ESD.

Harrisburg finished with 202 rushing yards to the ‘Cats’ 17, and then, the Tigers added 122 passing yards to Brookings’ 67.

Anderson picked up 124 yards on nine carries with three TDs while Troy Knecht completed 8-of-14 pass attempts for 122 as Brooks Fuller caught two passes for 32 yards and Anderson added 37 yards on two catches.

Tanner Shepardson completed 13-of-20 passes for 67 yards while running six times for 36 more yards for Brookings.

Defensively for the Bobcats, Jacob Schoon notched 11 tackles – eight solo and three assists – as Sam Lehman finished with six solo and two assists.

Justin Devine, Heath Bullington and Jay Szafryk all had seven tackles.

Brookings takes on Sioux Falls Lincoln at Howard Field at 5 p.m. on Saturday.