From Register Staff Reports

CLEAR LAKE – A big night from Sioux Valley’s Donovan Rose spoiled Deuel’s homecoming game on Friday night as the Cossacks ran away from the Cardinals 48-14 at Cardinal Field.

Rose had 255 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. He also returned a kickoff for a touchdown to give hime four total touchdowns in the victory. He also had seven tackles on defense. 

It didn’t take long for the Cossacks to get on the scoreboard as the Cardinals fumbled on the first play from scrimmage and Wyatt Hardt hopped on it for Sioux Valley hopped on it inside the Deuel five yard line. Brock Christopherson then ran it into the end zone and the Cossacks led 7-0 just 15 seconds into the game.

Christopherson then intercepted the Deuel quarterback on the Cardinals next drive. A few plays later Rose ran it in from 12 yards out and a Jameson Degen extra point made it 14-0 with 9:20 left in the first quarter.

The Cardinals special teams got them in on the scoring action. Gabe Sather returned the ensuing kickoff to the house and that cut the Cossacks’ lead to 14-7 with a little over nine minutes left in the first quarter. 

Sioux Valley looked like it was about to score again as Christopherson connected with Maverick Nelson for a 64-yard catch and run. That set up the Cossacks at the Deuel five yard line but they fumbled on the next play and Deuel fell on it.

Deuel wasn’t able to take advantage of the turnover though and Sioux Valley was able to extend the lead before the end of the quarter. This time it was a 46-yard touchdown run from Rose and that made it 21-7 heading into the second.

The two teams then traded punts before Sioux Valley scored once again. The Cossacks drove nearly the length of the field and Christopherson capped off the drive with a five-yard touchdown run to make it 28-7 with 2:16 to play in the first half.

The Cossacks tried to put more points on the board just before halftime as a 42-yard run from Rose set up Sioux Valley with first and goal at the Deuel eight yard line. However, Christopherson was intercepted by Sather in the end zone with 14 seconds left in the half and the score remained 28-7 heading into halftime.

Sioux Valley ended up getting points at the beginning of the second half anyway as Rose took the opening kickoff all the way to the end zone and Sioux Valley led 35-7 just 11 seconds into the third quarter.

Deuel then worked its way down the field on its first possession of the second half. A 27-yard pass play to Sather set up the Cardinals with first and goal and then a seven-yard touchdown run from Justin Kloos cut the lead to 35-14.

The 21-point lead didn’t last long though as Jacob Guthmiller took a jet sweep on the Cossacks’ next drive and ran 18 yards to the end zone to make it 42-14 with just under three minutes to play in the third.

Rose’s great game continued in the fourth as he had another touchdown run. This one was from 69 yards out. The extra point was no good and the Cossacks led 48-14 with 6:53 to play. That score held up to be the final.

Sioux Valley had 388 yards on the ground in total. Guthmiller had five carries that went for 70 yards. Westin Pitts had five carries as well and had 40 yards. Christopherson was 1-for-2 for 64 yards. Logan Mohn was 1-for-2 with 25 yards.

Brody Haaland had eight tackles to lead the Cossack defense. Wyatt Nelson had six tackles and one sack.

Sioux Valley improved to 5-0 on the season. The Cossacks will travel to Flandreau next week and that game will start at 7 p.m. on Friday.