Indians Rout Washington County
On Thursday, October 31, the St. Francis Indians hosted the first round of the state high school football playoffs on Greene Field in St. Francis. Washington County (4-4), the #4 seed from District 7 was the opponent. St. Francis dominated the Washington County Tigers winning the contest in two quarters of play. The Indians scored four touchdowns in the first period to lead 30-0 at the first quarter break. With everyone suited receiving playing time, the Indians added two more touchdowns in the second period to win 46-0.
The Indians now advance to the Regional contest against the winner of Hill City and Wakeeney-Trego Community. The Regional contest is currently scheduled to be played in St. Francis on Friday, November 8, at 7:00 p.m. (Addition 11/4/2019: St. Francis will play Hill City in St. Francis on Friday Nov. 8 at 7:00 p.m. Hill City defeated Wakeeney-Trego Community 64-40 in their Bi-District contest to advance.)
Washington County (WC) won the coin toss and elected to receive. The kick-off was returned to the WC 31 yard line where Ben Busse tackled the return man. The Tigers went immediately to the air attempting a pass into the right flat which fell incomplete. On 2nd down, junior Trevor Grace attempted a run into the middle of the Indian defense. He was met immediately by Colton Neitzel. Sophomore quarterback Mason Miller tried the right end on the next play and was stopped by Shadryon Blanka. Facing 4th-&-10, the Tigers punted. Sophomore Hunter Hill's punt was returned by Brady Dinkel.
The Indians set up offense at their own 17 yard line. On the first snap, quarterback Brady Dinkel was sacked for a 2-yard loss by junior Jaisen Zimmer and senior Garrett Otott. Dinkel's next carry, around the left end, was good for a new set of downs at the 36 yard line. Shadryon Blanka carried the football up the middle on the next snap earning 4 yards before being tackled by senior Tyler Nelson. On the next play, St. Francis scored a touchdown on a halfback pass from Blanka to Dinkel covering 41 yards. Adam Krien sprinted untouched around the left end for the conversion points. With 9:17 left in the first period, the Indians led 8-0.
The Indians squib kick was mishandled by the Tigers and recovered by Kobe Tice for the Indians at the WC 36 yard line. Brady Dinkel carried for 9 yards over the right side before he was stopped by a tackle by Trever Grace. On the next play, Dinkel earned a 1st down at the WC 23 running over the left side. Adam Krien banged up the middle for four yards on the following snap. The Indians earned a new series at the 10 on a Dinkel run over the right side. On the next play, Dinkel scored running straight up the middle. Krien scored the conversion points running around the left end. With 7:49 left in the opening period, St. Francis led 16-0.
The Tigers returned the kick-off to the WC 25 where Jayce Nider's tackle halted progress. The Tigers' first-down pass attempt intended for sophomore Nathaniel Tice was well defended by Brady Dinkel and fell incomplete. Trevor Grace earned 1 yard up the middle before Nider and Shadryon Blanka stopped the run. After a WC time-out at 7:02, Mason Miller attempted a pass to Tice on the right side that was also incomplete. On 4th-&-9, the Tigers punted. The punt was a good one.
The punt was returned by Brady Dinkel to the SF 21 yard line where he was met by senior Seth Bonar. A hard run by Shadryon Blanka earned 9 yards on the first snap of the possession. Blanka's 2nd-down carry around the right end resulted in a first down at the SF 34. Blanka was tackled by senior Tyler Nelson and freshman Quentin Rhodes. A Dinkel carry up the middle earned 6 more yards before Blanka tried the right side and was stopped for no gain. On the next play, Blanka sprinted 40 yards for the third Indian touchdown. Adam Krien carried successfully for the conversion points, but the play was nullified by a holding penalty on the Indians. After the mark-off, the Indians failed to score the conversion. With 4:35 remaining in quarter one, St. Francis led 22-0.
Jaisen Zimmer returned the kick-off to the WC 29. Kobe Tice tackled Zimmer ending the return. Trevor Grace carried into the middle on the first WC snap and was met by a host of Indian defenders. On 2nd-&-9, Grace earned a yard around the left end before being tackled by Jayce Nider. On the next snap, quarterback Miller was sacked by Adam Krien and Tyson Poling. The Indians were penalized for an inadvertent facemask on the play causing the down to be replayed after the mark-off. Miller's next pass was intercepted by Kobe Tice returning possession to the Indians.
The Indians set up on their own 27 with 2:29 left in the first period. On the first snap of the possession, Shadryon Blanka sprinted 53 yards around the left end for the 4th Indian touchdown. Adam Krien ran straight up the middle for the conversion. St. Francis led 30-0 with 2:29 left in the first period.
Trever Grace made a good return on the Indians' kick-off moving the ball out to the WC 38 yard line where he was tackled by Kobe Tice. Grace carried around the left end on the next play and was met by Jayce Nider and Brady Dinkel for a loss of 4 yards. The Tigers used another time-out with 1:37 showing on the clock. A pass From Mason Miller intended for Tyler Nelsen was incomplete in the right flat on the next snap. Grace's next carry, around the left end, resulted in a loss of 6 more yards. The Tigers punted once again.
Brady Dinkel returned the punt to the SF 18 before being tackled by Garret Otott. Dinkel then carried up the middle earning 6 yards before being stopped by Tyler Nelson. On second-down, a pass from Dinkel to Kobe Tice was just off Tice's fingertips deep down field. Before the next play, WC was penalized for encroachment. The penalty gave St. Francis a first down at the 30. Adam Krien powered up the middle for 7 yards expiring the first quarter clock. After switching directions, a pass from Dinkel intended for Jayce Nider was incomplete deep. On 3rd-&-4, Dinkel set up to pass and then scrambled 43 yards for another St. Francis TD. Dinkel passed to Shadryon Blanka for the conversion points. With 11:42 remaining in the second period, St. Francis led 38-0.
The Indians' kick-off sailed into the end zone for a touchback. Grace tried the left side on the first play but was met by Shadryon Blanka and others losing 1 yard. Jaisen Zimmer then carried into the middle and was stopped after a very short gain by Adam Krien and Jayce Nider. Jesse Baxter tackled Grace after another short gain on third down. Facing 4th-&-8, the Tigers punted. The punt was short and rolled dead at the WC 39 with no return.
With several younger Indians receiving playing time, the Indians advanced the football. On first down, a reverse play to the left side resulted in Jayce Nider sprinting to the end zone. A block-in-the-back penalty erased the touchdown and placed the Indians at the 18 yard line. Brady Dinkel then showed his elusiveness, dipping and diving to avoid tacklers as he made his way near the goal line. Dinkel was tackled at the 1 by Garrett Otott. A toss play to the right resulted in the football on the ground, but Adam Krien scooped up the errant toss and sprinted around the right end to score another touchdown for the Indians. Jaron Berig ran hard up the middle for the conversion points. St. Francis led 46-0 with 9:21 left in the first period.
Grace returned the Indians' kick-off to the WC 21. Jayce Nider made the tackle on the return. Adam Krien stopped Grace after a 2-yard gain on the next play. Grace's next carry netted zero before a Blanka tackle. After a 5-yard penalty on the Indians, Zimmer tried the middle of the line and was stopped by Ben Busse. On 3rd-&-very short, the Tigers used the final time-out with 8:01 remaining in the first half. Grace's carry earned just enough for a first down on the ensuing snap. A fumble on the next play was nearly recovered by the Indians, but WC retained possession and lost two yards. Zimmer carried into the middle on 2nd down, and was stopped by Busse and Caleb Todd after a gain of two. Preston Witzel stopped Grace's progress at two yards on 3rd down. A 4th-down pass from Miller intended for Nelson was well-defended by Colton Neitzel and fell incomplete returning the football to the Indians.
As more Indian reserves entered the contest, the Indians set up offense at the WC 34. Adam Krien carried over the left side for 8 yards on the first play of the possession. Caleb Todd tried the middle on the next play but was stopped for minimal gain by Otott. Ben Busse ran over the right side earning a new set of downs at the 21. Todd ran left earning 4 yards on the next snap. A positive run by Busse was nullified by a SF holding penalty on the following play. Facing 2nd-&-17, the Indians went to the air. A pass from Busse intended for Preston Witzel was nearly picked off but bounced out of the hands of a WC defender. After a SF time-out at 3:36, Krien ran around the left side for an apparent SF touchdown. An illegal block penalty erased this touchdown and resulted in 3rd-&-18. On the next play, a pass by Kobe Tice was intercepted by Grace.
The Tigers set up at their own 11 yard line. Grace ran around the right end but was tackled by Shannon Rethke for a two-yard loss. On Grace's next carry, a holding penalty against WC nullified the play an made the situation 2nd-&-18. Grace earned 8 yards on a carry around the left end before he was brought down by Ben Busse. Rethke stopped Zimmer for no gain on the following snap. On 4th-&-10, Grace carried again and was tackled by Adam Krien, but not before Grace earned a first down at the WC 34. After an incomplete pass, carries by Zimmer and Grace were ended by tackles from Jayce Nider and Krien. On 4th-&-7, a fumbled snap was recovered by the Tigers, but the Indians took possession on downs.
With 9.3 seconds remaining the Indians knelt in victory formation at the WC 33. St. Francis advanced to the regional championship contest with a 46-0 win over the Washington County Tigers.
Click on the photos to see more photos!
