By Matt Gade

605 Sports

RAPID CITY — For the past several years, the name Kieffer has almost become synonymous with Rapid City Christian athletics.

This football season, the tie between the Kieffer name and Comets athletics has only strengthened as senior quarterback Simon Kieffer continues to break nearly every single school-record stat possible from under center.

Kieffer is currently the all-time leader in career TD Passes at 60 surpassing Bryan O’Neal. Kieffer is also the single-season record holder in completions, completion percentage, passing yards, passing TDs, passing yards in a single game and in total yardage. 

Currently, Kieffer is just three touchdowns shy away from the all-time career touchdowns mark.

“When I first got here, the first thing we did was seven on seven, and we were able to see him, and it doesn't take very long to see that he's got the talent to be great,” Rapid City Christian head coach Matt McIntosh said. “It's been a lot of fun to watch him develop and he's a really great leader, great quarterback. It's been very helpful as a play caller. Makes my job easy.”

McIntosh, who was the passing-game coordinator for Rapid City Stevens in 2021, took over the reins for the Comets before the start of the 2022 season.

Kieffer was McIntosh’s guy under center from the start.

In 2022, the Comets finished with a 4-5 record in McIntosh’s debut. The following season, the Comets doubled their wins finishing with an 8-3 falling to the 2023 state champion Hot Springs Bison in the Class 11B semifinals.

This year the Comets moved up to 11A and were tested right out of the gate facing then top-ranked Canton, currently top-ranked Sioux Falls Christian and No. 3 ranked Dell Rapids in the first three games of the 2024 season.

“We knew coming into the season that we were going to have to play those tough teams,” Kieffer said. “I think that was good for us, tell us kind of where we're at, what we need to improve on, what we need to work on, and kind of where we need to get to to be able to compete with those teams. 

“I think we've gained some momentum now, just kind of finding out who we are and what we can do. We know that we're going to see those teams again, and we need to be ready for it.”

Since the Week 3 loss at Dell Rapids, the Comets have rattled off four straight wins.

Kieffer is a dual threat for the Comets under center. Through six games, Kieffer is averaging more than 225 yards a game through the air for more than 1,300 passing yards while completing nearly 60% of his passes for 16 touchdowns while committing seven interceptions.

Through those same six games, Kieffer is the Comets second-leading rusher averaging 6.2 yards per carry with 143 yards on the ground behind running back Braylon Marshall's 365 yards.

“Braylon is another guy. He just kind of flies under the radar a little bit,” McIntosh said. “He's a little more quiet, but he is the toughest kid on our team by far. He's a hard hitting kid. Loves to hit people on the defensive side of the ball, and you watch him on offense, not only is he a big rusher, but he’s also big in pass protection. I think he actually likes that better, because he gets to hit people, and so he's just a huge asset.”

While Kieffer has the stats, it’s his leadership development that McIntosh says has really been his biggest growth.

“He's a hard worker, in the classroom, in the weight room and out on the football field. He's all business and he's a good leader,” McIntosh said. “As the quarterback you're kind of naturally the leader, certainly on the offense, and he's embraced that role. In previous years he was a little more quiet, and really was not as vocal as we need to be. He's really stepped into that role this year.”

Rapid City Christian's Simon Kieffer (10) drops back to pass during a game against Hot Springs on Friday, Sept. 27 at Hart Ranch. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

Over their three years together, Kieffer said he and McIntosh have grown to think very similarly which has let the coach trust Kieffer’s instincts and have fun on the field.

Simon is also quick to credit the weapons the Comets have for his success. Guys like Marshall, Benson Kieffer, Wes Schlabach, Lars Kieffer among others.

“I think we just developed that chemistry over the years,” Kieffer said of playing for McIntosh. “Obviously, right away we were just getting used to each other. Just both kind of seeing what will work, what won't work, and just being able to do that for three years has been super beneficial.”

While McIntosh praises Kieffer’s records, he’s the first to say that Kieffer would gladly give up all the records if it meant a championship.

Kieffer, a multi-sport athlete also a member of the Comets Class A state qualifying boys basketball squad and on the club baseball team, said he hopes to play football at the collegiate level next year.

As the Comets close out the regular season with games against Custer and Belle Fourche, Kieffer and McIntosh are looking to make a postseason push come playoffs.

“We're just using those first three games as learning lessons, and then using these next few games here to prepare, because we're building for that playoff game,” Kieffer said. “So just trying to get momentum and executing well against these next few teams, because we know that we got to take care of business first before we get there, but trying to build momentum of these next games.”