Avon's Brady Bierema (5) carries the ball against Burke on Sept. 17 in Burke. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

By 605 Sports

sports.ticket@sportsticket.tv

Avon (4-0) at Gayville-Volin (3-0) 

Rankings: Gayville-Volin is No. 1 in Class 9B; Avon is No. 3 in Class 9B. 

Outlook: Avon heads to Gayville for a 2 p.m. matinee between two Class 9B top-five teams. 

The high-scoring Pirates are coming off a 58-36 win over Burke and they’ve scored at least 48 points or more in each game. The Pirates erupted for 630 yards over the Cougars, with Riley Rucktaeschel throwing for 264 yards and four touchdowns. Brady Bierema added 177 rushing yards and three rushing scores. 

The Raiders can also score in bunches and are coming off a 43-13 victory over Corsica-Stickney. Quarterback Nate Quatier has thrown for 328 yards and five touchdowns, while also rushing for 162 yards and three more scores. Kyle Hirsch has three rushing touchdowns and three touchdown receptions. 

Platte-Geddes (3-1) at Wolsey-Wessington (3-1) 

Rankings: Platte-Geddes is No. 2 in Class 9AA; Wolsey-Wessington is No. 4 in Class 9A. 

Outlook: Two defending state champs will lock horns in a Missouri Valley Football Conference tilt today. 

Platte-Geddes, which won last year’s Class 9AA title, had its 14-game winning streak snapped by Parkston on Sept. 10. But it is coming off a 52-0 win against Colman-Egan. Platte-Geddes’ Grayson Hanson paces the offense with 314 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. 

Wolsey-Wessington, which won last year’s Class 9B state title, has won three straight since a season-opening defeat against No. 1 De Smet. The Warbirds have picked up wins over Colman-Egan (50-6), Bon Homme (53-12) and Britton-Hecla (50-0).

Canistota/Freeman (3-2) at Chester Area (3-1) 

Rankings: Canistota/Freeman is No. 5 in Class 9AA; Chester Area is No. 4 in Class 9AA. 

Outlook: Two high-powered offenses, powered by two dynamic quarterbacks, will collide for a Class 9AA contest today. 

Canistota/Freeman is led by sophomore quarterback Tage Ortman, who has thrown for 876 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Flyers counter with senior signal caller Stratton Eppard, who has passed for 679 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Canistota/Freeman is coming off a 56-50 shootout win over Garretson in overtime. It also has wins over Elkton-Lake Benton (48-18) and Viborg-Hurley (46-18).

The Flyers started 3-0 with wins over Arlington/Lake Preston (51-0), Bon Homme (43-0) and Viborg-Hurley (38-0) before dropping a 26-8 decision against Howard. 

Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (3-1) at McCook Central/Montrose (3-1)

Rankings: Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan is No. 2 in Class 11B; McCook Central/Montrose is No. 5 in Class 11B. 

Outlook: It will be a battle of run vs. pass in this Big East Conference battle. 

The Seahawks have racked up 880 yards on the ground, including 482 rushing yards and eight touchdowns by Koby Kayser. Riley Endres adds 206 rushing yards and three scores.

McCook Central/Montrose, meanwhile, relies on Gavin Gordon and its passing attack. Gordon has thrown for 753 yards and six touchdowns. Cody Miles has hauled in 225 receiving yards, while Trevor Hansen has rushed for 340 yards. 

Ipswich (4-0) vs. Herreid/Selby Area (5-0) at Northern State 

Rankings: Ipswich is receiving votes in Class 9AA; Herreid/Selby Area is No. 3 in Class 9A. 

Outlook: The Tigers and Wolverines will play the first-ever high school game at Northern State University’s new Dacotah Bank Stadium. 

The game, which was originally scheduled to be in Ipswich, was moved to the 5,500-seat stadium when both teams agreed to the switch.

The turf field could lend itself to some offensive fireworks. The Wolverines featured a potent offensive attack led by quarterback Tray Hettick (742 passing yards/11 touchdowns). Trey Sayler (506 rushing yards/6 touchdowns) and Brenden Begeman (472 rushing yards/9 touchdowns) complement Hettick out of the backfield.

The Tigers’ quarterback Ian Beyers has thrown for 355 yards and five touchdowns, while adding two more scores on the ground. Garson Gohl has rushed for 325 yards and eight touchdowns, while Tyler Hettich has rushed for 206 yards and five scores. 

Canton (4-0) at Madison (4-0) 

Rankings: Canton is No. 1 in Class 11A; Madison is No. 2 in Class 11A. 

Outlook: No. 1 vs. No. 2 in Class 11A clash today in Madison.

The contest also holds major seeds points implications, with Canton currently No. 1 with 46.250 points. Madison is No. 3 with 44.000 points, just behind No. 2 West Central (44.250).

Madison is powered offensively by Nathan Ricke, who has passed for 642 yards and five touchdowns. The Bulldogs earned victories over Custer (42-0), Dakota Valley (46-13), Vermillion (37-26) and Milbank (9-0).

The C-Hawks have wins over Dell Rapids (28-6), Tri-Valley (21-16), Custer (49-6) and Vermillion (42-7).