Wall cruises past Dell Rapids St. Mary, captures second straight state football championship
Wall's Teelan Kjerstad (12) makes a touchdown grab against Dell Rapids St. Mary's during the Class 9B state championship game on Thursday at the DakotaDome in Vermillion. (Matt Gade / 605 Sports)
VERMILLION — For the second year in a row, Wall is a state football champion.
Wall outlasted Dell Rapids St. Mary, 48-26, to claim the Class 9B state football title. Wall, the defending Class 9A champion, won its fifth state title in school history with the win.
“It’s pretty amazing, pretty special,” said Wall head coach Lex Heathershaw. “It’s pretty cool for our town and our community to be able to win this thing in all three classes. So proud of our guys, this is for them, they deserve it. They put the work in and wouldn’t want to be from anywhere else than Wall.”
In a highly-anticipated 9B championship between the defending 9A champion Eagles and reigning Class 9B champion Dell Rapids St. Mary, Wall jumped out to an early 27-6 first half lead to pull away with the win.
Quarterback Tanner Volmer kicked off the Thursday morning title game, marching the Eagle offense 95 yards in just under four minutes, ending with a three-yard touchdown pass from Volmer to Teelan Kjerstad.
Later in the quarter, Volmer connected with Carter Sundall for a three-yard touchdown to push the lead to double digits. St. Mary got on the board late in the first half on a 48-yard touchdown from quarterback Brady Jewett to Logan Bauer.
Wall closed out the final minutes of the first half with back-to-back Volmer touchdowns, rushing from 32-yards out and hitting Kjerstad on a 23-yard touchdown strike on fourth down.
“We could’ve done anything on offense,” said Volmer, the Joe Robbie MVP and Outstanding Back of the Game. “Our defense, it was my fault I let them score a touchdown, but I got it back on offense. We just kept rolling, we couldn’t let our foot off the gas pedal.”
Kjerstad kicked off the second half with an interception before Volmer tacked on another rushing score to kick Wall a 27-point lead. St. Mary found success late in the third quarter back-to-back touchdown drives, a Jacob Geraets two-yard touchdown run and a Jewett 12-yard scamper to cut the lead to just 13.
“We went into a cover four, we got a little too much cushion and allowed some things we shouldn’t have,” Heathershaw said. “Important to get that lead, we fired back and got that three-touchdown lead and that kind of sealed the deal for us.”
Volmer silenced the St. Mary momentum shortly after with a 52-yard touchdown run, breaking multiple tackles in the process.
“The kid can make every throw,” Heathershaw said of Volmer. “I get we’re nine-man but that kid can go play college football at the next level. You watch him today, he’s a dynamic athlete and we put him all over the field and he really gets the job done for us.”
A Shooter Frederick 35-yard fumble return for a touchdown capped off the offensive onslaught for the Eagles inside the Dakota Dome.
“Everyone just had to do their job,” said Volmer. “Everyone knew what they were doing. We just got after it from the first second to the last.”
Volmer capped off a stellar football career with 13 completions for 135 yards and three touchdowns, adding 21 carries for 192 yards and three touchdowns. Volmer also led the defense with 14 tackles.
“It just feels so good to show what Wall Eagle football is all about,” Volmer said. “Don’t doubt us.”
Kjerstad had seven receptions for 62 yards and a score, tallying two interceptions on defense as well.
For St. Mary, Jewett collected 272 passing yards on 16 completions, throwing two touchdowns and two picks. Jewett also led the rushing attack with 61 yards and a touchdown. Logan Bauer caught seven passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns while Jake Heinitz recorded five catches for 92 yards.
It’s Wall’s fifth state title in school history, and third in the past five seasons. Since the 2021 season, Wall has accumulated a record of 64-4 with three undefeated championship seasons.
“It’s what they make dreams and unfortunately somebody has to come out on top,” Heathershaw said. “Hats off to Dell Rapids, they’re fighters man. Second half, they came out and threw some punches that we had to withstand.”