RAPID CITY, SD – The Sturgis Scoopers rolled up 390 yards of total offense behind Konner Berndt’s 226 yards rushing and 52 yards receiving and held off St. Thomas More 29-22 at O’Harra Stadium on Friday night.
It was Senior Recognition Night for the Scoopers, who had to move the game to Rapid City due to poor field conditions at Woodle Field. Sturgis honored 17 senior football players and their student manager at halftime.
The Scoopers came into Friday night’s contest at number 10 in South Dakota class 11AA seed point rankings and needed a victory to stay in the hunt for a playoff berth. The top eight teams in the seed point rankings make the post season playoffs.
The game was also important to the Cavaliers, who needed a win to secure a home playoff game. A St. Thomas More win would also give them the Black Hills Conference football title.
The Scoopers got off to a quick start, getting on the scoreboard first with a 43-yard touchdown run by Berndt with 1:33 gone in the first quarter. Dom Smith’s kick split the uprights and Sturgis led 7-0.
Berndt rumbled for another 46-yard score with 6:16 left before halftime to extend the Scooper lead. Offensive coordinator Ward Anderson pulled a successful trick play out for the two point conversion and Sturgis led 15-0.
The Cavaliers returned the ensuing kickoff to the Scooper 35 and answered three minutes later with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Lee Neugebauer to Matthew Larson for an STM score. The kick was good and Sturgis led 15-7 just before halftime.
St. Thomas More’s Larson picked off an Owen Cass throw with just :42 seconds left before the break and the Cavs struck quickly, as Neugebauer found Kellen Weber with a seven yard strike with nine ticks left on the clock. J.D. Green’s extra point was blocked and Sturgis led 15-13 at the half.
The Cavaliers defense came out of the locker room with a renewed sense of purpose in the second half, as linebacker Chase Donnelly picked off Cass on the Scooper’s first possession, giving STM good field position at the Sturgis 44.
But the Scooper defense held strong, limiting the Cavs to just a field goal, giving STM a 16-13 lead midway through the third.
Srurgis went three and out on their next possession and were forced to punt. Cass let the punt snap slip through his hands, recovered the ball but got off a weak kick, giving STM the ball at the Sturgis eight yard line.
Two plays later, Larson burst through the line for a five-yard STM touchdown. After a Cavalier penalty, the 35-yard extra point attempt was blocked and the Cavs increased their lead to 22-15 with 4:19 left in the third quarter.
The Scoopers made a statement on their next series with a nine play, 79-yard touchdown drive, ending with a perfectly executed quarterback keeper by Owen Cass, who ran the ball in from 19 yards out as time ran out in the third quarter. Smith’s kick was good and Sturgis tied up the game at 22 apiece.
The Cavaliers went three and out on their first series of the fourth quarter and punted to the Scoopers. Sturgis took over on their own 31 yard line and constructed an eight play, 69 yard drive, culminating in a one yard touchdown by Konner Berndt with 6:55 left in the game. Hunter Harrison, Aiden Hedderman and Jake Vliem intercepted passes from Neugebauer on the last three Cavalier possessions to seal the win for the Scoopers as they held on for a 29-22 victory.
The Scoopers finished the night with 390 total yards of offense. Sturgis (2-6) compiled 330 yards on the ground on 48 carries. Cass completed five passes on eight attempts for 60 yards. The Scoopers had two turnovers, both interceptions, and 16 penalties for 160 yards.
St. Thomas More (5-3) had 220 yards of offense with 49 yards on the ground and 171 through the air. Larson had 35 yards rushing with a score and caught three balls for 91 yards and a touchdown. The Cavs had a fumble and three interceptions and four penalties for 50 yards.
The Scoopers wrap up their regular season on Thursday as they take on the winless Douglas Patriots at Dave Brodie Field in Box Elder.
