By In a game where mistakes needed to be limited, Aberdeen Roncalli made one with about 30 seconds left that proved costly.
Roncalli, the No. 7 seed in the Class 11B high school football playoffs, scored a touchdown with 34 seconds left to pull within 14-13 of Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central.
But the snap on the extra point was mishandled, sending the Blackhawks to the second round.
Roncalli’s Aiden Fisher attempted an onside kick, but it went out of bounds ending the Cavaliers’ season at 6-3.
“The snap was a little low, but really no snap is ever perfect. I mean, you’re dealing with high school kids and it was an average high school snap,” said Roncalli head coach Billy Young. “That’s not why we lost. We had other chances to score and make a couple tackles but we didn’t.”
Aberdeen Roncalli’s Jett Johnson (right) and Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central’s Ryder Michalek try to grab a tipped ball during the third quarter of their 11B playoff game Thursday, Oct. 24 in Dacotah Bank Stadium. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo
Converting on extra points was an issue for Roncalli in the second half of the season.
Young was pleased with the Cavaliers’ defense. Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central was averaging 38.8 points a game.
“If you can hold that team to 14 points, your defense has done its job. They just played their hearts out,” Young said. “We just never really felt we had our footing on offense. It seemed like we were in a bad field position or the clock was an issue. We had a couple mistakes that cost us some yards, but our kids left everything they had on the field down to the last seconds.”
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Senior Zane Backous echoed Young’s statement on field position.
Aberdeen Roncalli’s Zane Backous scores from seven yards out during the third quarter of the Cavaliers 11B playoff game Thursday, Oct. 24 inside Dacotah Bank Stadium. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo
Backous, who scored Roncalli’s first touchdown on a 7-yard run in the third quarter, noted the Blackhawks’ first score came when they received good field position after Fisher had to punt out of the Cavaliers’ end zone.
“Special teams is huge in this game. To be able to pin guys back deep inside their territory wears them down,” Backous said. “It’s an overlooked aspect of the game, and you saw what happened when we got pinned down near our end zone. We just couldn’t move the ball. Aiden had to punt out of the end zone, and they got the ball at our 35-, 34-yard line. We just had a hard time getting the ball out from our side of the field.”
Brody Weinmesiter intercepted Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central quarterback Holden Havlik to set up Backous’ touchdown run.
“They kind of did the same earlier and I didn’t play the right coverage, and they had a big play out of it, but I did what I was supposed to do on that one,” Weinmeister said. “I don’t know if (Havlik) was expecting me to be there, but he threw it right to me, and I was able to make a play.”
Weinmeister entered the year still recovering from shoulder surgery, but returned to the field sooner than he thought. His 1-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left turned out to be the final play of a season he wasn’t even sure he would be a part of.
The Blackhawks took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter when Ryder Michalek caught a 15-yard pass from Havlik. After Roncalli tied the game 7-7 in the third quarter, Havlik found Wesley Molnar on a 28-yard pass to retake the lead.
Havlik completed 15 of 21 passes for 131 yards to help boost Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central.
“From not knowing if I was going to be able to come back, then having the type of season I had with the group of guys I was out there with was truly an incredible feeling. That was the thing — not knowing if I’d be able to play — and to be able to play was an amazing feeling, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” he said.
Backous also played his final game for the Cavaliers.
“The hardest part about being done now isn’t necessarily being done with football, it’s not going out there — practice, games — with your brothers anymore,” he said. “The family, the brotherhood this sport creates is second to none. You battle, you hit, you fight through pain every single day even though you still see them, it’s just not quite the same.”
Young, visibly emotional following the loss, noted the end of the careers of the 11 seniors he “watched grow up on and off the field.”
“This is a special group to me,” Young said. “A lot of it was because my son (Cade) was in the class, and I’ve known these kids since they played flag football. Most of them have been over to our house. It just made it a very special year for me as coach, and, unfortunately it makes it even more difficult that this season is over.”
Warner’s Payton Volk scores a 27-yard touchdown pass during the second quarter against Gayville Volin in their 9A playoff game Thursday, Oct. 24 in Warner. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo
Warner cruises past Gayville-Volin in 9A opener
After a slow first quarter, third-seeded and defending Class 9A state champion Warner scored two quick touchdowns in the second quarter and rolled to a 49-6 win over No. 13 Gayville-Volin in the opening round of the playoffs in Warner.
“The pace of the game early on was on the slow side, I felt,” said Warner head coach Derek Hoellein. “(Gayville-Volin) took their time in and out of the huddle and used pretty much all of the play clock. I think we had two possessions in the first quarter. The first we punted and second we scored.”
Drew Bakeberg threw both of his touchdown passes in the second quarter. The first was a 44-yard strike to Jesiah Baum. The second was a 27-yarder to Payton Volk that made it 21-0.
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Bakeberg completed 8 of 12 passes for a season and career-high 221 yards.
“Drew’s decision-making has been a huge part of his growth at quarterback,” Hoellein said. “Earlier in the year, he may have tried to force a ball to a receiver, but now he’s making the smart throws. Quarterback isn’t an easy position, but he’s taking charge and really has a grip on what to do.”
Baum led the ground game with 82 yards on 10 carries while hauling down three passes for 118 yards.
“He has phenomenal speed and quickness, and his short area bursts really give him an advantage,” Hoellein said. “If we get him into space, he makes plays for us. This year his pass-catching has really caught up to his running ability, and, yeah, the kid’s lightning in a bottle.”
The Monarchs’ defense again dominated the line of scrimmage allowing just eight first downs in the game.
Will Farley led the Raiders’ ground game with 42 yards rushing.
“With Kaden (Sauer) and Jaxon (Mohr) just playing defensive line for us, we have a couple guys who are generally rested, and not many nine-man teams have more than one player who just plays offensive or defense,” Hoellein said. “That’s a huge advantage for us and they’re able to make an impact on the game.”
Warner will now host No. 6 Phillip, which beat No. 11 Centerville 44-30 at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31.
“Watching some of their game with Centerville, they’re big up front and like to pound the ball, but we’re kind of built like that also,” Hoellein said. “We’re creatures of habit, and we’ll prepare the same way no matter who the opponent is.”
Area playoff scoreboard
- Groton Area, the No. 6 seed in Class 11B got knocked off at home by 11th-seeded Rapid City St. Thomas More 40-13. More’s ground game proved to be the difference as the Cavaliers gained 333 yards on just 34 carries. Dawson Inhofer had 168 yards rushing with two touchdowns, while teammate Grayden Juve added 100 yards and two scores. For Groton, Korbin Kucker threw for 68 yards with one touchdown pass to Christian Ehresmann.
- Ipswich picked up a 44-12 win over Estelline-Hendricks in the opening round of the Class 9A playoff in Ipswich. The No. 7 seeded Tigers were led by Casey Geditz who ran for 109 yards, including a 45-yard score. Max Kulesa threw for 54 yards and had three touchdown passes. Ipswich moves on to face No. 2 seed Howard at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31 in Howard.
- Noah Kippley scored on a 1-run run in overtime to boost Leola-Frederick over Kimball/White Lake in the opening round of the Class 9AA playoffs in Frederick. Kippley found Milo Sumption for the two-point conversion, and the Titans’ defense held Kimball/White Lake to preserve the victory. Gavin Nickelson scored on runs of 1 and 82 yards and finished with 116 yards for Leola/Frederick, which also recorded a safety in the game. The Titans play at 9-0 Parkston on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m.
- Faulkton Area had no problems against Sunshine Bible Academy, rolling to a 44-0 victory in the opening round of the Class 9B playoffs. The Trojans will host 10th-seeded Colman-Egan at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31.
Playoff pairings set
Second-round playoff pairings are set for Class 11B and the nine-man classes. Meanwhile, classes 11AAA, 11AA and 11A open the playoffs Thursday, Oct. 31. All of the games are hosted by higher-seeded teams.
Class 11AAA
Sioux Falls Washington (2-7) at Brandon Valley (9-0)
Sioux Falls O’Gorman (5-4) at Sioux Falls Jefferson (5-4)
Rapid City Central (2-7) at Sioux Falls Lincoln (8-1)
Sioux Falls Roosevelt (3-6) at Harrisburg (7-2)
Class 11AA
Aberdeen Central (3-6) at Yankton (7-2)
Spearfish (6-3) at Pierre (5-4)
Huron (4-5) at Watertown (7-2)
Tea (5-4) at Brookings (7-2)
Class 11A
Rapid City Christian (6-3) at Sioux Falls Christian (9-0)
Madison (6-3) at West Central (6-3)
Dakota Valley (5-4) at Dell Rapids (7-2)
Canton (4-5) at Lennox (7-2)
Class 11B
Mobridge-Pollock (7-2) at Sioux Valley (9-0)
Clark-Willow Lake (7-2) at Elk Point-Jefferson (7-2)
Woonsocket-Wessington Springs-Sanborn Central (7-2) at Winner (9-0)
Rapid City St. Thomas More (7-2) at Mount Vernon-Plankinton (7-2)
Class 9AA
Leola-Frederick (7-2) at Parkston (9-0)
Freeman-Marion-Freeman Academy (7-2) at Hill City (8-1)
Viborg-Hurley (7-2) at Hamlin (9-0)
Hanson (5-4) at Elkton-Lake Benton (8-1)
Class 9A
Castlewood (6-3) at Wall (9-0)
Dupree (6-3) at Wolsey-Wessington (8-1)
Ipswich (7-2) at Howard (9-0)
Philip (7-2) at Warner (9-0)
Class 9B
Canistota (6-3) at Avon (8-1)
Sully Buttes (8-1) at Corsica-Stickney (7-2)
Colman-Egan (5-4) at Faulkton (7-2)
Kadoka Area (6-3) at Dell Rapids St. Mary (8-1)
Central falls to Watertown in regular season finale
Aberdeen Central lost on the road in Watertown 41-14 Thursday, Oct. 24 to end the regular season with a 3-6 record.
“Things started well enough for us,” said Central head coach Justin Briese. “Watertown scored on its opening drive, then we answer right back with a touchdown of our own. Our guys were battling out of the gate, but a few mistakes and suddenly we’re behind the eight ball.”
Brayden Bowman, the quarterback for the Golden Eagles, threw interceptions on three straight possessions. One was returned for a touchdown. From there, it was an uphill battle.
“Brayden was trying to make a couple plays, but you saw some of the inexperience that lead to those turnovers. We just dug ourselves a pretty deep hole and couldn’t dig our way out of it,” Briese said.
The Eagles open the Class 11AA playoffs as the eight seed and will travel to top-seeded Yankton Thursday, Oct. 31. The teams did not play during the regular season.
Yankton averages 37 points per-game.
“They can score some points, we know that,” Briese said. “They run some no-huddle stuff and like to throw the ball, so we’ll have our work cut out for us.”