SIOUX FALLS — The Dell Rapids football team finds itself one win away from its third straight appearance in the 11A state championship game, but for the Quarriers, the road to the DakotaDome doesn’t get any easier this week.
The gauntlet of a highly competitive 11A field continues, as second-seeded Dell Rapids takes on No. 3 seed Lennox in an 11A semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday at Dell Rapids High School.
The Quarriers (8-2) head into the game after knocking off seventh-seeded Dakota Valley in a 17-6 decision Thursday in Dell Rapids. It was a game in which they limited the Panthers’ big-play ability, while senior Cole Ruesink got a kickoff return for a touchdown and a rushing touchdown to lift Dell Rapids to a gritty win.
“I thought our defense played at a championship level all game and kept Dakota Valley in check most of the game,” Quarriers coach Derek Genzlinger said. “Our special teams also played at a high level and played a huge role in winning the game.”
This season, Ruesink leads the charge for a Dell Rapids team that is averaging 5.8 yards per rush in a masterfully run Wing-T offense.
Ruesink has 1,167 yards and 14 TDs on 153 carries, while senior Quinn Carr has chipped in 467 yards and seven scores on 74 totes.
Trent Singer / Sioux Falls Live
Defensively, Ruesink has 28 tackles and a team-high eight interceptions, while junior Kenny Swanson’s 57 stops paces the Quarriers.
On the other side, the Orioles (8-2) are feeling confident after handing No. 6 seed Canton a 50-0 shellacking Thursday in state quarterfinal action.
Lennox is led by a group of nine seniors, including 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback Boston Katzer. Meanwhile, junior Tate Gerdes is heavily involved in the Orioles’ rushing attack.
Trent Singer / Sioux Falls Live
When the two teams take the field Friday night, it’ll be just 15 days removed from the last time they met. That game ended with Dell Rapids claiming a 26-12 triumph on the road in both teams’ regular-season finale.
“They are a team that has some great athletes at all spots on the field,” Genzlinger said about the Orioles. “We have to find a way to keep them in check as much as possible. It all starts with keeping their QB in the pocket and controlling where he can move. He extends plays very well from that standpoint.
“They play at a faster pace than any other team we play, so getting lined up is important. Defensively, they tackle very well and make you earn every yard.”
Trent Singer / Sioux Falls Live
Unbeaten SFC hosts West Central
In the other 11A semifinal, top-seeded Sioux Falls Christian (10-0) aims to keep its perfect season on the line, hosting No. 4 seed West Central (7-3) at 7 p.m. Friday at Bob Young Field.
The Chargers opened the playoffs Thursday with a 58-23 win over Rapid City Christian in which they had their best scoring output of the season.
“I really liked that we played a clean game,” SFC coach Jared Smith said about the state quarterfinal win. “We didn’t have any penalties, and that’s something that really helps an offense stay on pace.”
Defensively, the Chargers now have 29 takeaways, which is the most ever by an 11A team in a single season.
Trent Singer / Sioux Falls Live
Meanwhile, senior Lincoln Prins continues to efficiently guide SFC’s offense. The 6-1 signal caller has bested his own single-season school records in both passing TDs (23) and yards (1,803), which is especially impressive considering blowouts have allowed him to watch from the sidelines in the second half of several games this season.
The Trojans enter Friday’s game on the heels of a nailbiter last week, a game in which they eked out a 14-6 win over fifth-seeded Madison.
A trio of seniors lead the way for West Central in quarterback Caden Alfson, running back Aiden Bartmann and running back Karsen Wilde, and Smith understands that physicality is an essential element to the Trojans’ success.
Marcus Traxler / Mitchell Republic
“Offensively, they will want to establish their run game and sustain long drives to limit our possessions throughout the game,” Smith said. “We would like to get them off schedule on first and second down and try to get them off the field as soon as possible.
“Throughout the season, the WC defense has given some different looks versus some similar things that we do. Our players will need to be prepared for the variety of ways they may align and defend our offense.”
The two teams last met in the regular-season opener when SFC came away with
at Bob Young Field.
Both state semifinal winners will meet in the 11A state championship game at noon next Saturday at the DakotaDome.
Trent Singer is a sports reporter for Sioux Falls Live. He focuses his coverage on Augustana men’s hockey and Sioux Falls area sports. Singer’s previous stops include Just Women’s Sports, the Southeast Missourian and the Kentucky New Era.
