BROOKINGS – Chase Mason and top-seeded Viborg-Hurley capped an undefeated season with a 50-24 defeat of defending-champion Bon Homme in the Class 9AA final Thursday afternoon at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior quarterback finished 14-of-22 for 220 yards with three touchdowns through the air and ran 14 times for 196 yards – a 14-yard average – and three scores.

Mason was the Jim Langer Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Back.

Senior Ethan Engen was Outstanding Lineman.

Shane Andersen hauled in four passes for 108 yards and found paydirt three times.

The Cougars – who finished the year with a 12-0 mark – scored 32 consecutive points in the second half to take control.

Mason’s 7-yard TD rush on fourth-and-goal at the 6:34 mark of the third quarter knotted the score and completed an 11-play, 80-yard march. Vigorg-Hurley took the lead for good after Mason hit Angel Johnson for the two-point conversion.

Mason got loose for an 80-yard dash the end zone 3 minutes later and connected with Andersen on the two-pointer.

Carter Gust added a 29-yard TD with 11:37 remaining in the game, as Johnson ran in the conversion. Mason and Andersen’s third TD hookup – a 1-yarder on fourth down – came with 3:09 remaining and capped a 14-play, 58-yard drive. Mason’s two-point run provided for the final margin.

Viborg-Hurley finished with a 487-366 advantage in total yards, including 267-151 on the ground.

Gust added 74 yards on 13 carries.

Mason paced the defense with 11 tackles and Andersen and Justin Harms both added nine.

The Cavaliers took advantage of a botched snap on a punt from the 22 to record a safety midway through the opening period. Bon Homme moved across midfield following the free kick and threw a deep pass downfield, which was intercepted by Hayden Gilbert at the VH 8-yard-line.

Joshua Crownover caught a 12-yard TD toss from Riley Rothschadl early in the second and then kicked the PAT to make it 9-0.

Mason and Andersen connected for scores of 56 and 49 yards later in the second to put VH ahead 12-9.

Crownover’s second TD rush – an 8-yarder on fourth-and-2 – and ensuing PAT kick put BH up 16-12 with 2:15 left in the half.

Mason quickly answered with a 73-yard scoring scamper to put the Cougars on top 18-16 at the break.

Bon Homme’s Noah Heesch broke off a 74-yard touchdown run less than a minute into the third quarter. Nate Scieszinski’s two-point run gave the Cavaliers their final lead at 24-18.

Gilbert had another pick in the closing seconds.

Heesch totaled 109 yards on nine rushes and 67 yards on three receptions. Crownover contributed 45 yards on 15 carries and ended up 12-of-24 for 177 yards with a pair of INTs through the air.

The second-seeded Cavaliers ended the season 10-2.

Notes: It marked the first football title for Viborg-Hurley. The Cougars were runners-up in 9AA in 2010. Hurley/Marion won the 9AA crown in 2008 and Viborg was second in 9B in 2000. … Bon Homme dropped in 3-2 in finals. The Cougars beat Kimball/White Lake 35-20 last year. BH won 11B championships in 1994 and 1995 after falling 34-28 to the Brad DeBeer-led Cossacks of Sioux Valley in the 1988 final.

VIBORG-HURLEY 50, BON HOMME 24

Bon Homme     2  14    8    0  –  24

Viborg-Hurley 0  18  16  16  –  50

First Quarter

BH – Safety, 5:16

Second Quarter

BH – Joshua Crownover 12 pass from Riley Rothschadl (Crownover kick), 11:09

VH – Shane Andersen 56 pass from Chase Mason (pass failed), 10:00

VH – Andersen 49 pass from Mason (pass failed), 6:38

BH – Crownover 8 run (Crownover kick), 2:15

VH – Mason 73 run (pass failed), 1:08

Third Quarter

BH – Noah Heesch 74 run (Nate Scieszinski run), 11:02

VH – Mason 7 run (Angel Johnson pass from Mason), 6:34

VH – Mason 80 run (Andersen pass from Mason), 3:29

Fourth Quarter

VH – Carter Gust 29 run (Johnson run), 11:37

VH – Andersen 1 pass from Mason (Mason run), 3:09