Dundy County too much for Plainsmen

Dundy County Stratton showed why they are one of the top-rated teams in Class D1 Friday. 

The Tigers handed the Perkins County Plainsmen their first loss of the season, 44-15, after opening 2-0.

Coach Tanner Collins knew the Plainsmen would need to play near perfect to have a shot at them. 

Four Plainsmen turnovers was exactly what they didn’t want to do against the defending state champions.

 Collins said the Plainsmen didn’t have an answer for DCS senior quarterback, 200-lb  Quade Myers.

Meyers carried the ball 23 times for the Tigers for 157 yards and four touchdowns. He added another score through the air, going 8-9 for 110 yards.

That compared to 225 yards total for the Plainsmen.

Collins said several overthrown passes, if caught, would have resulted in touchdowns as well. 

Turnovers at key times

The Plainsmen got the ball to open the game but were forced to punt. 

The Tigers’ broke off a 40-yard run to open the series, with Myers scoring three plays later for a 6-0 lead after a failed conversion.

The Plainsmen came right back and began moving the ball down the field. 

The got inside the Tiger 30 before a fumble killed the drive. 

After a 15-yard pass completion, DCS broke loose for 40 yards on a jet sweep around left side. Three plays later Myers put them up 12-0.

The Plainsmen were forced to punt on their next possession and Myers struck again with a 35-yard completion to the PC 10. Three plays later, he added his third touchdown.

It looked like the Plainsmen would go into half trailing by only 18-0. However an interception inside the final minute of half put the DCS offense back on the field.

DCS stuck the dagger in with a touchdown in the closing seconds of the half to go up 24-0.

Collins said it could have been a different game if the Plainsmen could have gone in at half trailing 18-6. 

The Plainsmen got a break early in the third when the Tigers fumbled away their opening drive at the PC 3. 

The Plainsmen got some breathing room when punter Triston Hite got roughed to keep the drive alive at the PC 15. 

However, a fumble gave the ball right back to DCS and they scored two plays later for a 30-0 lead. 

Offensively, the Plainsmen got going, using the jet sweep to move the ball down the field. 

Casey Hanson completed the drive with another jet sweep for the score. 

Hite added the kick to make the score 30-7.

DCS would add another scoring drive on their next two possessions. 

Sandwiched in between was a Plainsmen drive that started at their own 20. 

Hite hit Hansen on a slant to the Tiger 32 and the Plainsmen converted a third down to keep the drive alive.

However, the Plainsmen hopes were dashed when DCS intercepted the ball in the end zone to open the fourth quarter. 

Trailing 44-7, Collins put in his reserves, who drove for the final touchdown of the game. 

Quarterback Dawson Tjaden got the 9-yard score and added the PAT to make the final score 44-15.

Bayard Friday afternoon

The Plainsmen will host the Bayard Tigers here Friday afternoon with kickoff scheduled at 2 p.m.

This marks the first district game for the Plainsmen as they begin their quest for a D1-11 district title and an automatic berth into the playoffs as district champs. 

Bayard enters the game with a 1-2 record with a win over Morrill and losses to Hitchcock County and Leyton. 

Kimball forfeits schedule

District opponent Kimball announced last week that they are forfeiting the rest of their games. The decision came as a result of a low number of players. 

That game was scheduled for Sept. 24. Athletic Director Jeremy Struckman said the NSAA will not allow PC to fill the date with another opponent. 

The forfeit will go down as a win for the Plainsmen.