VERMILLION — Dell Rapids won one for the city. 

Dell Rapids senior Brayden Pankonen has “FTC” scribbled on his shoes and the inscription means: For The City. That’s exactly what the Quarriers did on Friday, holding off Dak-12 Conference rival West Central for its first Class 11A state championship since 2014. 

“It is just ultimately doing it for these guys,” said Pankonen after the Quarriers’ 24-7 win over West Central. “We had the whole city here and it’s awesome to do it for them knowing we got another one in 2022.”

They did it against a conference foe, but one not on the schedule. Dell Rapids and West Central are separated by 28 miles, but did not play in the regular season and clashed in the postseason for the second straight season.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Dell Rapids junior Jack Henry, the Joe Robbie MVP and the most outstanding back. “It’s a big rivalry and I am sure they wouldn’t have it any other way either. But it’s a dream come true. I have been dreaming of this since I was a child.”

Dell Rapids quarterback Jack Henry looks to pass during the first half of the 11A championship Friday at the DakotaDome in Vermillion. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

Henry powered the Quarriers (12-0) with two rushing touchdowns and rushed for 64 yards. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound quarterback completed 10 of 16 passes for 182 yards, connecting with Pankonen for seven catches for 125 yards. 

Pankonen, a 5-foot-10, 155-pound speedster, has been Henry’s most reliable target all season and was again in the biggest game of the season. 

“Jack, he has been my boy since second grade,” Pankonen said. “I couldn’t do what I do without him. I owe him props for sure.”

The Quarriers recorded 334 total yards — 152 rushing and 182 passing yards. They controlled the ball for more than 28 minutes and their defense bottled up West Central’s offensive attack. 

West Central’s Justin Zirpel, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound lightning quick quarterback, managed 34 rushing yards on 13 carries. He completed 7 of 14 passes for 63 yards, while throwing three interceptions and one passing touchdown. 

“I have been playing Justin since sixth grade,” Pankonen said. “He does it all and it’s fun to watch him play, but not when you are out there against him.” 

West Central (10-2) finished with just 97 total yards and had negative-13 yards at halftime. Chase Jones, Mason Stubbe and Braden Fersdahl intercepted passes on defense. 

“Their offense is good,” Pankonen said. “Our defense just stepped up. Our front played really well.” 

Henry scored a pair of first-half rushing touchdowns to spark a 12-0 halftime lead. The Trojans received the second half kickoff, but Dell Rapids continued to keep their offense in check and nearly pitched a shutout. 

“They have a really good explosive offense and it could turn at any moment,” Henry said. “But I felt like we needed to get more than two (touchdowns) to win and we did.”

West Central’s Justin Zirpel runs for a gain during the first half of the 11A championship Friday at the DakotaDome in Vermillion. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

In the fourth quarter, Zirpel prevented the shutout with a passing touchdown to Aiden Bartmann with 5 minutes left. Pankonen’s touchdown plunge with 1:42 left iced the victory. Stubbe also had a fourth-quarter touchdown run for the Quarriers. 

It was Dell Rapids’ sixth Class 11A state championship and this one comes after some lean years for the Quarriers. Pankonen noted how the current Quarriers struggled during their junior varsity and freshman seasons, but punctuated this season with the ultimate prize. 

“We weren’t good,” Pankonen said. “So knowing we just capped off an undefeated season with a state championship feels pretty dang good.”