BROOKINGS – Homebound!
The Bobcats earned a spot in the Class 11AA title game following a 36-7 defeat of Huron in the Class 11AA Playoffs semifinals on a beautiful Friday night at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
In past years, the ‘Cats would be “Domebound.” However, with renovations taking place at the DakotaDome, championship games are being contested at DJDS this season – meaning the Red and Black is staying home.
No. 2 Brookings (10-1) faces two-time defending champion and top-seeded Pierre (11-0) in the final Friday at noon.
Tanner Shepardson scored three times in the win over the third-seeded Tigers (6-5).
Carter Eidem and Parker Rykhus added touchdown runs.
“It was a physical game, a hard-fought game,” said BHS coach Lee Schmidt. “All I can say is the kids did enough to get themselves into the final game of the season and that’s what it’s really all about.
“I think the kids were a little hyped. We had a little bit of a penalty problem and some execution problems; but you know what, Huron came to play. And we knew they were going to come to play; they’re tough kids and they’ve come a long ways since that first game. They have a lot of young kids and by the end of the year you have a much more seasoned ball club.”
The Tigers went three-and-out on their opening possession.
Shepardson capped a short Bobcat drive with a 22-yard scoring scamper up the left sideline on fourth-and-2.
Rykhus found the end zone through the right side of the line from 3 yards out at the 7:29 mark of the second quarter.
Brookings took over on its own 14 later in the second and put together a solid drive, which concluded with a Shepardson 1-yard TD rush that made it 20-0 with 1:33 showing on the clock.
Huron faced a fourth-and-2 at its own 32, and a Brookings neutral zone infraction gave the visitors a first down. On the next play, Cooper Fryberger caught a 63-yard TD toss from Cade McNeil 14 seconds before halftime.
The Bobcats turned the ball over on downs to open the third period but then forced a punt.
Rykhus picked up 8 yards on a fourth-and-1 to set up the next score – a 26-yard field goal by Payton Theodosopoulos from the right hash that split the uprights. The sophomore went 3-for-5 on PAT kicks.
Late in the third, Shepardson converted a third-and-4 with a 13-yard run to the 7. Eidem’s 12-yard run around the right side pushed the margin to 30-7 with 11:47 remaining in the game.
Brady Ammann then intercepted a pass and returned it 24 yards to the 8.
Shepardson’s third score – an 11-yard run – provided for the final margin with 10:57 to play.
Jackson Krogman picked off a pass later on.
The Governors beat No. 5 Mitchell (5-6) 57-7 in the other semifinal in Pierre.
Notes: Brookings has allowed 33 points in seven games at DJDS this season with three shutouts. … The Bobcats topped Douglas 52-13 in the quarterfinals last Thursday. … The ‘Cats beat the Tigers 40-0 in the season-opener Aug. 30 in Brookings. … The Governors dropped the Bobcats 54-6 on Oct. 11 in Pierre. … Huron made the final as the No. 6 seed last year, finishing with a 6-6 record. The Tigers fell 38-20 to the Govs in the ‘Dome. … It marks Brookings’ sixth appearance in the title game – all at the 11AA level. The Bobcats won in 1983 and 2000 and were runner-up in 1998, 2001 and 2014 (34-33 overtime loss to Yankton).
BROOKINGS 36, HURON 7
Huron. 0 7 0 0 – 7
Brookings 7 13 3 13 – 36
First Quarter
B – Tanner Shepardson 22 run (Payton Theodosopoulos kick), 8:59
Second Quarter
B – Parker Rykhus 3 run (kick failed), 7:29
B – Shepardson 1 run (Theodosopoulos kick), 1:33
H – Cooper Fryberger 63 pass from Cade McNeil (Carson Duba kick), :14
Third Quarter
B – Theodosopoulos 26 FG, 4:12
Fourth Quarter
B – Carter Eidem 12 run (Theodosopoulos kick), 11:47
B – Shepardson 11 run (kick failed), 10:57
