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The class 11AAA championship game was a rematch between the Sioux Falls Lincoln Patriots, who

had not lost in this building, and going for their second straight undefeated season, against

the Sioux Falls Roosevelt Rough Riders, who was here for the sixth time, and trying for their

fourth state football title. Lincoln won the regular season meeting 35-27 on Sept. 13. Even

though he didn't play Roosevelt quarterback Taryn Christion was in uniform and participated

in the warmups. Christion was injured in that Sept. 13 game, and had been out ever since.

Roosevelt won the toss and elected to receive. Roosevelt mustered a first down, but Lincoln's

defense locked down, and Roosevelt punted the ball away. Lincoln found a similar fate, trying

out seven different offensive formations on their opening possession.

Roosevelt took the ball at their own 20, and was three-and-out, but Lincoln was called for

roughing the kicker on the punt, and Roosevelt kept the ball. They moved the ball to

Lincoln's 11 yard line when the first quarter ended scoreless, but the 13 play drive stalled

at the 10 yard line. Chase Vinatieri was called on for a field goal attempt, but he pushed it

wide right.

Lincoln set out on a long drive of their own, slowly figuring out that running back Braxton

Large was their best weapon to move the ball. After a timeout, quarterback Isaiah Roach used

his own feet to gain 17 yards on two plays, but Roosevelt was caught completely off guard

when Lucas Heitkamp took a quick-hitting running play 34 yards for the game's opening score.

Teren Schuster's extra point was good, and Lincoln led 7-0 with 6:18 before halftime.

Roosevelt didn't take as long to respond. Jake Bear returned the ensuing kickoff 79 yards to

the Lincoln 19 yard line. Two plays later, Vinatieri ran a skinny post inside the man

coverage, and Jett Thune hit him in stride for a 27 yard touchdown pass. Vinatieri's kick was

good, and that tied the game 7-7 with 5:17 to play.

Lincoln took the kickoff and proceeded to again chip away at Roosevelt's share of football

field. The Patriots found their passing game later in the drive, hitting Mason Nelson for 12

yards and Lee Ransom for 38 yards to move the ball to Roosevelt's 13 yard line. Roach hit

Nickel Meyers on an inside slant on 1st down to move the ball to the 1 yard line. Large

scored on the next play, to give Lincoln a 14-7 halftime lead.

Lincoln took the kickoff to open the second half, and started from their own 15. The Patriots

continued their ball-control execution on offense and drove 10 plays down the field before

Large bounced a running play to the outside and then ran untouched for an 18 yard touchdonw

run. Schuster's kick was good, and Lincoln extended their lead to 21-7 with 7:59 left in the

3rd quarter.

The Rough Riders then put on a drive of their own, moving the ball to Lincoln's 11, but a

false start and a holding penalty killed the drive, and Thune's 4th down pass was knocked

away by Nelson, giving the Patriots possession on their own 18 with 3:39 left in the third

quarter. Lincoln moved the ball some, but ended up punting to end the 3rd quarter with a 21-7

lead.

Roosevelt took the ball at their 34 yard line, but went three and out. Lincoln also punted,

and then Thune completed a long pass to Jamal Albousafi for 45 yards to the Lincoln 11 yard

line. Three plays later, Lincoln blitzed, but Thune found Bear on a center screen for the 14

yard touchdown. The kick was good, and Lincoln's lead was cut to 21-14 with 7:01 to play.

After another Lincoln punt, Roosevelt drove the ball down to the Lincoln 11 yard line. They

moved the ball to the 6 in the next three plays, and on 4th and 5, Thune threw for an open

Vinatieri at the front of the end zone, but he dropped the pass, and Lincoln turned the ball

over on downs. Large then sealed the game with a 91 yard touchdown run, that made the score

28-14 with 1:33 to play. Lincoln went on to win by the same score, sealing their second

straight undefeated season and third state football title. Large was named the Joe Robbie

Most Outstanding Player, with 188 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.


SCORE BY QUARTERS     1     2     3     4-FINAL
SF ROOSEVELT                   0     7     0     7-14
SF LINCOLN                         0   14     7     7-28

GAME STATS
RUSHING: SF ROOSEVELT: Bear 14-32-0TD; Thune 9-30-0TD; Vinatieri 5-14-0TD. SF LINCOLN: Large

19-188-3TD; Roach 9-50-0TD; Heitkamp 2-37-1TD; Sudbeck 3-14-0TD.

PASSING: SF ROOSEVELT: Thune 13-22-222-2TD-0INT; Vinatieri 0-1-0-0TD-0INT. SF LINCOLN: Roach

12-21-145-0TD-0INT.

RECEIVING: SF ROOSEVELT: Vinatieri 4-92-1TD; Van Voorst 5-63-0TD; Albousafi 1-45-0TD; Bear 2

-16-1TD; Benson 1-6-0TD. SF LINCOLN: Ransom 1-38-0TD; Meyers 3-36-0TD; Thanel 4-29-0TD; Jones

1-18-0TD; Nelson 2-15-0TD; Druse 1-9-0TD.