VOLGA The Sioux Valley football team went undefeated in the regular season for the third time in school history this season. The Cossacks went 9-1 on the season and the offense did a lot of their damage on the ground.
Sioux Valley ran for 3,321 yards on the season and while the quarterback and the starting running back put up a lot of the gaudy numbers for the offense there were four players that made the ground attack work.
Two offensive lineman anchored the rushing attack in senior Austin Siegel and sophomore Parker Top. Siegel was a three-year starter on both the offensive and defensive line and the Cossacks won 75% of their games that he played. Sioux Valley head coach Dan Hughes said Siegel was one of the big keys for Sioux Valley winning so many games throughout his career.
He was a veteran on the offensive line that averaged over 41.4 points per game , which was 19th All-Time in Class 11B history. His teammates rushed for over 3,500 yards this season, leading to a Big East Championship and undefeated regular season – only the third in school history, Hughes said.
Top also played on both the offensive and defensive line. Hughes said he was voted the Sioux Valley 2023 Offensive Lineman of the Year by his teammates and he played a huge role in the Cossacks success this season.
Parker has an outstanding motor and fights pressure on the defensive line as well as anyone in the state of South Dakota. He was a member of a Sioux Valley offensive line that rushed for 350 yards per game and averaged over eight yards per carry, Hughes said.
Senior tight end Hudsyn Ruesink made a big difference in the run game as well and he was named to the Class 11B All-State team this season. Most of the time when you think about tight ends nowadays you think about their pass catching skills. Hughes said he will always think about Ruesinks blocking skills.
He was the primary blocker for Sioux Valleys 3,321 yards rushing attack that averaged 8.8 yards per carry. A very talented player who blocked defensive ends & linebackers week in and week out, Hughes said.
Ruesink did some damage through the air as well though. He had eight catches for 144 yards and four touchdowns in 2023.
Junior Brock Christopherson played both running back and linebacker for the Cossacks. He made a big impact on the defensive side of the ball, but also played well when he got carries on offense.
He was an All-Big East Conference selection with 52 total tackles and four tackles for a loss and anchored a defense that allowed less than 14 points per game. On offense he ran the ball for seven yards per carry. Hughes said Christopherson made his impact known in each game in 2023.
He is an incredibly intelligent player who studies opponents relentlessly and is always around the football, Hughes said.
Despite losing in the quarterfinals of the Class 11B Playoffs, the 2023 Sioux Valley football team will always be remembered and these four players played a big part in that.
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