Future bright for Plainsmen football

By Diane Stamm

Grant Tribune-Sentinel

The Perkins County football team battled through its 2022 season to a 5-4 record and a second consecutive trip to the Class D1 playoffs.

The Plainsmen were led by four seniors, Tony Lyon, Casey Hanson, Eli Busick and Ethan Sihm.

Injuries took their toll on the group.

PCS Head Coach Tanner Collins said Lyon battled  through pain a lot of the year.

“He showed how tough he is and how much he wanted to be on the field. He took a backseat on offense a lot with the changes we made and was always supportive and positive about it,” Collins said. 

Hanson only saw action in five games. 

Collins said he feels bad that Hanson didn’t get to finish out his senior year on the field. 

“There was no doubt that he was the fastest guy on the field when he was out there.” 

Busick is one of our highest-character kids on the team, according to Collins. 

“He was a captain and a leader all year for us and didn’t get to see the field as much as he would have liked. It never stopped him from leading this team. He gave it everything he had when his number was called,” Collins said.

Sihm was among the toughest players on the team.

“You weren’t keeping that kid off the field. Everything he got in football was earned through his hard work and dedication. He led this team by action all season,” according to Collins.

The team was a work in progress and improved throughout the season.

“We changed so much this season. Pending on what the other team gave us and who we had healthy we ran completely different offenses at times. I think we grew throughout the year and started to come together as one team,” Collins said, adding PCS had to focus on not being selfish players at times this year. 

Collins said the Plainsmen’s home game against Sutherland was its best all year.

“All aspects of the game were clicking for us that night. We blocked and ran the ball very well and our defense flew around all night and held them under 100 yards of total offense,” he said. 

“Sutherland had our number for quite a while so it was nice to get over that hump this year with that team,” he added.

Although PCS loses four seniors, Collins likes the players he has returning.

“We have a very special and talented group coming up through high school right now. If we can get them to buy in as a unit and bust their butts they could really turn some heads,” he said.