VOLGA Sioux Valley is heading to the DakotaDome as the Cossacks punched their ticket to the Class 11B championship game on Friday night with a 28-14 victory over Elk Point-Jefferson.
The top-seeded Cossacks were tied with the fourth-seeded Huskies at halftime, but were then able to outscore them 14-0 in the second half.
It was EPJ who struck first, though. Beau Schmit ran in a touchdown from eight yards out to put the Huskies up 7-0 just three minutes into the game.
Sioux Valley would respond, though. Quarterback Brock Christopherson would bounce off tacklers on his way to an 18-yard touchdown and that tied things up with 5:07 left in the quarter.
The Cossacks then would gain the lead on the first play of the second quarter as Christopherson scored again. This one was from 14 yards out and the Cossacks led 14-7 five seconds into the second.
It didnt take long for EPJ to come up with an answer, though, as Keaton Gale found Ashton Fairbanks for a 28-yard touchdown to make it 14-14 with 8:09 left in the half. Neither team scored the rest of the second quarter and it was 14-14 heading into the locker room.
Sioux Valley would regain the lead at the midway point of the third. It was Christopherson yet again, but this one was easier as he scored from one yard out and that made it 21-14 with 6:13 left in the third.
Donovan Rose was able to put the game away with 6:30 left in the game. He plunged into the end zone from three yards out to put the Cossacks up two scores and Sioux Valleys defense held the rest of the way.
Sioux Valley had 346 yards of offense and 345 of them came on the ground. Rose led the way with 218 yards on 30 carries. Christopherson had 123 yards on 23 carries.
EPJ had just 148 total yards. Gale was 5-of-13 with 81 yards passing. Aiden Hammitt had two catches for 40 yards and Fairbanks had two catches for 27 yards. Gunner Ewing led the Huskies rush attack with 35 yards on eight carries.
The Cossack defense was led by Wyatt Nelson, who had six tackles. Jakob Guthmiller had five tackles. Christopherson, Rose and Mitchell Guthmiller each had four tackles. Guthmiller also had a sack.
Sioux Valley will take on No. 2 seeded Winner in the title game on Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. The Warriors last won a state title in 2021.
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