Editor’s note: Prior to Thursday’s state football championships, the 605 Sports Staff will unveil a series of DakotaDome memories. The series will feature a look back at memorable moments from 10, 20 and 30 years ago. Today’s installment will look back at the 1992 Hitchcock-Tulare Patriots, who won their first state football championship.

In 1986, Troy Watson was a student manager for Hitchcock-Tulare’s Class 9B state runner-up finish. When Watson got his turn, he wasn't going to be denied. 

Fast forward to 1992 and Watson was a key figure in Hitchcock-Tulare’s 28-6 win over Harding County for the Class 9B state championship, a first in school history. 

“When I was in sixth grade, I said how much I wanted to play in this game,” Watson said in an interview after the game. “I got the opportunity to do it. This is great.”

Watson was named the Joe Robbie MVP, finishing with three total touchdowns and 104 passing yards. He threw touchdown strikes to Wes Frankenstein, Kelly Schuerman and added a rushing touchdown. Kenny Rathjen also rushed for a touchdown. 

The win capped off a 12-0 season for the Patriots, who handed 281 Conference member and Class 9A state champ Alpena/Woonsocket its lone defeat of the year. 

In the playoffs, Hitchcock-Tulare rolled past Iroquois (48-0) and Chester (46-0), setting up a matchup with Herreid/Pollock on the road. The Express were the higher seed and also sported an undefeated record. They were also the defending Class 9B runner-ups.

“To be honest, nobody on the coaching staffs from Highway 34 to the North Dakota border, from the Missouri River to the eastern border of South Dakota thought that we had a well-digger’s chance in you-know-where that we could win that game,” Hitchcock-Tulare co-coach Frank Podraza said after the matchup. 

Against Herreid/Pollock, the Patriots scored two first-half touchdowns for a 16-6 lead and hung on for a 16-14 triumph. Watson rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown, while he connected with Frankenstein for a touchdown reception. 

It set the stage for a contest with Harding County, which was making its first-ever trip to the DakotaDome. The Ranchers knocked off Timber Lake (40-15), New Underwood (28-8) and Irene (30-20) to reach the championship game. 

In the title contest, Watson hit Frankenstein for a touchdown reception and scored a rushing touchdown to give Hitchcock-Tulare a 14-0 halftime advantage. After a scoreless third quarter, the Patriots put the Ranchers away with two scores in the fourth quarter, a Watson to Schuerman touchdown reception and a Rathjen touchdown run.

The Patriots were actually outgained in the contest, 273-241. The Ranchers, however, committed nine penalties for 81 yards and three turnovers.  

Hitchcock-Tulare’s Tony Tschetter was chosen as an all-state running back, while Podraza was an all-state offensive lineman. Watson was selected as an all-state defensive back. 

Other memorable moments from the 2002 high school football championships:

Class 11A - Vermillion took home its third consecutive state title with a 46-27 win over Winner. The Tanagers broke several team and individual championship records, led by running back Jason Leber, who won his second Joe Robbie MVP award. Leber broke his own record of 259 rushing yards from the 1991 title game, rushing for 283 yards and five touchdowns on 32 carries. Leber also set records for carries (32) and points scored (40). The Tanagers also set a record for most rushing yards as a team (411).

Class 11B - Platte topped Hamlin 14-8 to win their second state championship and denied the Chargers a fourth consecutive state title. The Black Panthers broke an 8-8 tie with a Bill Hoffman touchdown run in the first half for the final margin. The Platte defense, which entered the game having given up only one touchdown after the second game of the season, held Hamlin to just 172 total yards. Black Panther quarterback Jay Hettinger, who threw a touchdown pass to Chris Weier in the first quarter, was named the Joe Robbie MVP.