LAST CHANCES

Though all of the teams in this final week of regular season previews will be playing into the playoff field, there are a lot of key games happening across the state on the traditional final Thursday games to resolve seeding and the last of the playoff field. The teams in this preview are either trying to gain momentum into the playoffs, or stop a freefall before the playoffs begin. It should be an interesting night of football, so let’s get on with the previews!

CITY CONFIDENTIAL

1. Sioux Falls Roosevelt (7-1) at Sioux Falls Washington (8-0)

2. Sioux Falls O’Gorman (5-3) at Sioux Falls Lincoln (6-2)

These two games at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls will define the playoff picture in class 11AA, as well as deciding the final Greater Dakota Conference title and the annual Sioux Falls city championship, which is usually not as publicized, but each of these four teams want to best their city opponents each year.

Let’s start with the game that will be played second. It is a rematch of last year’s class 11AA championship game, in which Roosevelt’s defense was ready to parry every one of Washington’s formations and personnel tricks, and won their third state championship in the last six years. This season it is the Warriors’ defense that is playing the star, having allowed just 52 points over their first eight games (6.5 points per game) while scoring 377 total points, 138 of which have been scored in the first quarter. As always, Washington has a multitude of offensive weaponry to hurt opponents. That means the first quarter of this game is crucial, and the Rough Riders need quarterback Taryn Christion and his now-completely healthy offense to score quickly to prevent having to come from behind. Look for Washington to do what Lincoln did way back on Sept. 8 – That is, use their speedy running backs on the edges to create room for the passing game. This is a tough game to call, but I think Washington is just too strong to be denied at this point of the season, and the Warriors finish their undefeated regular season with a 7-point win.

As for the early game, Lincoln managed to beat the aforementioned Roosevelt Rough Riders in overtime on Sept. 8, and their only two losses are to the consensus top two teams in the state (Washington and Brandon Valley).

While O’Gorman has been ravaged by injuries this season, and every football team must go through injuries, they hit the Knights a bit harder than the other Sioux Falls teams simply due to their limited roster size. O’Gorman will need to slow the game down with their classic running game and keep the explosive Patriot offense off the field to score their first in-city win in two seasons. The pieces are in place to do that, having posted four shutouts this season (including the last two games), but have also struggled to score points as well, only posting 11 points against a below-average Aberdeen Central squad. Lincoln ended a 31-game losing streak to the Knights last season, and I believe they’ll make it a two-game winning streak with a narrow win in this game.

BATTLE FOR THE DVC CROWN

3. Deubrook (7-0) at Arlington (7-0)

Deubrook has shown promise in past season, but had those campaigns derailed by injuries, an unexpected loss, or just not living to the expectations they had before the season. This season, the Dolphins have put it all together, including having a speedy running back named Ryan Knutson, who has rolled up 1437 yards rushing and reached pay dirt 21 times in seven games. That averages over 200 yards and three touchdowns per game. I believe that can be summed by by Chris Farley’s Tommy Callahan – Holy Schneikies!

That’s not the only phase that Deubrook can score though. They can pass when they want to as well. Quarterback Taylor Olson has delievers seven touchdown passes in 81 attempts this season as well, and the team has several kick returns for touchdowns as well.

Their opponent this week is the also-undefeated Arlington Cardinals, for whom it’s been a few years since they’ve had this type of success. Like past seasons, Arlington has multiple backs they can go to to move the ball, including running backs Lane Weber (78 carries, 766 yards, 13 touchdowns) and Zach Warnke (53 carries, 635 yards, 10 touchdowns) and quarterback Andrew King, who continues the line of King quarterbacks at Arlington, and is able to both run (278 yards, 5TD) and pass (27-for-39, 895 yards, 9 touchdowns). This game will come down to how well Arlington can contain Knutson, who has made Friday a very long (or short due to the mercy rules) night for seven opponents thus far. This one will go the entire four quarters, but have much the same result – Deubrook being able to doze another opponent with their high-powered offense, and complete their undefeated season.

STOPPING A FREEFALL

4. Tea (5-2) at Dakota Valley (5-2)

Both of these teams were in a free fall heading into last week, though Tea fumbled a game away in Dell Rapids, and dropped an early lead against Tri-Valley. They stopped that fall last week against Harrisburg, playing possibly the best defensive game we’ve seen all season, successfully taking away Andrew McCuen from the Tigers’ offense and creating six fumbles, of which the Titans recovered three, all of which resulted in points on the scoreboard.

Dakota Valley is in a bit of a different place. They’ve lost their last two to the same teams as Tea (Dell Rapids and Tri-Valley), though in those games the Panthers surrendered touchdowns early, and were forced to play from behind the whole game.       The Panthers need to assert their home field advantage early in this game, and utilize the state’s top 11-man running back in Tanner Lambert (1146 yards, 12 TD) against what has been a very stingy Titans defense. Outside their loss to Dell Rapids, the Titans have only allowed 7.8 points per game this season. The Panthers must also stop a double wing attack, very similar to the system used by Sioux Falls Roosevelt 8-10 years ago, and the likes of Gunnar Ensz running through the middle, and Chase Deckert running the outside. While Dakota Valley will be up to the task, I simply think Tea is the better squad right now, and will leave North Sioux City with a 14-point win.