By Ryan Deal

605 Sports

Perhaps Saxon’s biggest play came on defense, however. Mobridge-Pollock’s Tyler Schmeichel plowed in for a touchdown, making it 41-32 with 10:52 left. 

With the game still hanging in the balance, Miller/Highmore-Harrold’s Derek Brueggeman, who accounted for five passing touchdowns, took off scrambling at midfield. Saxon chased down Brueggeman, stripped the ball from him and darted 50 yards for a touchdown. 

“He kind of burned me a little bit,” Saxon said. “I was like ‘I am going to go get him.’ I came behind him, grabbed the ball and ran it for a touchdown.”

The score made it an 18-point lead and Mobridge-Pollock salted the game away from there. 

Mobridge-Pollock was coming off a 29-12 loss against Groton Area on Aug. 30. But the Tigers surpassed last week’s point total in the first quarter. 

“Communication, I would say and getting the ball down the field,” Saxon said about their offensive output this week. “We executed this week.”

In the first quarter, Jackson Eisemann accounted for two touchdowns, including a 24-yard touchdown strike to Shane Henderson on the opening possession. After pouncing on a squib kick, Eisemann scored on a quarterback keeper for a 16-0 lead.

The Rustlers (0-2) quickly answered on a Brueggeman to Isaak Hunter 51-yard touchdown strike on their first possession. Saxon’s three-yard touchdown run made it 22-6 in Mobridge-Pollock’s favor. 

Then the teams continued to trade punches. Brueggeman hit Kellan Hurd for a 22-yard touchdown strike, slicing the deficit to 22-12. 

The Rustlers got within 22-20 on a Brueggeman-to-Gentry Harrell 17-yard touchdown pass. But less than 30 seconds later, Saxon emerged from a pileup at the line of scrimmage and darted 50 yards for a 28-20 lead. 

After the teams traded turnovers, Brueggeman found Cody Fanning for a six-yard touchdown pass and cut the deficit to 28-26. 

Saxon again showed off his electric running style, spinning and juking defenders for a 35-yard touchdown run and a 35-26 lead. Brueggeman then recorded his fifth passing touchdown, connecting with Harrell for a 15-yard touchdown strike.

It cut the deficit to 35-32, but the Tigers pitched a shutout in the final quarter for the win. 

“We told our O-line they were going to have to really carry us in the second half,” Flaherty said. “Especially losing Jackson. He’s a big part of our offense and what we were trying to do tonight.”

Eisemann, Mobridge-Pollock’s senior quarterback, left the game with a leg injury. But Flaherty didn’t know the extent of the injury afterward.  

The Tigers will play at Aberdeen Roncalli on Sept. 13. The Rustlers will play at Chamberlain on Sept. 13.