Brookings rallies past Kernels, keeping MHS out of Class 11AA playoffs
Oct. 21—BROOKINGS — With a playoff bid on the line, the Mitchell High School football team put together arguably its best half of the season and played even with fifth-ranked Brookings for the first 42 minutes.
But in the end, the Bobcats executed a final push, scoring twice in the final 5:19 of the fourth quarter to defeat Mitchell, 35-21, on Thursday night at Dykhouse Stadium.
With the loss, Mitchell missed out on the Class 11AA postseason for the first time since 2012, as the Kernels' season comes to an end at 2-7.
Mitchell was ninth in the final standings in the class. Sturgis (4-5) claimed the final spot in the eight-team bracket, while Watertown (3-6) will be the No. 7 seed.
"Obviously, we wanted to win and you want the guys to be successful," said Mitchell coach Kent Van Overschelde. "But at the end of the day, our guys competed all year. We had a lot of these [close games]. They were that close, we just couldn't find a way.
"It's a football season that guys can look back on, I think, in a lot of positive lights," Van Overschelde continued. "You're always going to be disappointed when you don't win, but our seniors did an exceptional job for us and they have nothing to hang their heads about."
Special teams set the tone early for the Kernels in their upset bid. Lukas Bennett fielded a bouncing ball, weaved his way to the home sideline and outraced the coverage 93 yards to the end zone on the opening kickoff to put Mitchell ahead 7-0 less than 15 seconds into the contest.
Later in the quarter, after a 53-yard scamper by Brookings' Israel Caldron on fourth-and-6, Mitchell's Nate McCormick blocked a Bobcat punt to set up the Kernels on the doorstep of the red zone. Five plays later, Treyson Schulz barged in for a touchdown on a 3-yard quarterback sneak to restore Mitchell's lead at 14-7.
Again following a Brookings rushing touchdown, this time from 5 yards out by Jaxton Eck, the Kernels reclaimed a touchdown advantage. Guided largely by five Schulz completions to four different targets for 48 yards, Mitchell marched 61 yards in 13 plays, the last of which was a 3-yard connection from Schulz to A.J. Siemsen for six points and a 21-14 lead at halftime.
Mitchell breached the red zone again on its first two drives of the second half but was repelled and held scoreless with a fumble and turnover on downs.
Brookings scored on a rushing touchdown by Eck in the final minute of the third quarter. Justin Cofell found Jackson Hoffmann for a passing touchdown to give the Bobcats their first lead with 5:19 remaining in the game and Caldron sealed the win with a second score with under a minute to play.
For Mitchell, Schulz went 13-of-19 passing for 120 yards and the touchdown to Siemsen, who finished with five receptions for 65 yards. Schulz led the Kernels in rushing, as well, with 13 carries for 44 yards. Trevon Austell had two sacks and a forced fumble, all in the first half.
The Bobcats rushed for 351 yards as a team, led by Caldron's 189 yards on 14 carries. Brandt added 90 yards and Eck had 61 yards. Cofell completed 6 of 11 passes for 60 yards.
"We did a great job in that first half getting the stops we needed, but obviously in the fourth quarter we didn't have an answer," Van Overschelde said.
Brookings (5-4) is the No. 5 seed in Class 11AA with a matchup with No. 4 Yankton in the quarterfinals. Other Class 11AA playoff matchups include No. 1 Pierre hosting No. 8 Sturgis; No. 7 Watertown at No. 2 Tea Area and No. 6 Spearfish at No. 3 Aberdeen Central.
