DEADWOOD, S.D. – The Mobridge-Pollock Tigers bested Lead-Deadwood 18-15 on Friday Night getting their third straight road win in historic Deadwood. A defensive struggle all game saw two late touchdowns with less than two minutes left on the game clock setting up one of the wildest finishes imaginable for this one..
The big story going into this game is how will this team, and specifically this offense play without some of their key starters out, most notably in the run game Mack Saxon. While there were some growing pains, especially from some of the younger running backs, the Tigers were able to get their offense going when it mattered and Shooter Frederick, despite struggling with turnovers all night, put the ball downfield with an extraordinary pass when it mattered to help his team get the win. On defense, Mobridge-Pollock continued to impress against a Lead-Deadwood team that played safe and efficient with the ball all night on offense trying many trick plays and different schemes to try a break past the brick wall that this Tiger defense has been this season.
The first half of this game started off in a defensive gridlock with both teams struggling to gain momentum on drives and failing to convert on key third and fourth downs. Both defenses really shined with game breaking plays from Caige Yellow and the Mobridge-Pollock defensive front, but equally as strong was Lead-Deadwood who despite being winless on the season were able to shut down the Mobridge-Pollock run game. The first quarter was scoreless, and it would be the Golddiggers striking first in the second quarter taking advantage of a botched snap on a punt attempt for a safety. Later in the quarter the Tigers would do that same not getting a safety but instead getting possession on the 2-yard line to give themselves a 6 nothing halftime lead.
The third quarter would lack more offense before Mobridge-Pollock finally put a drive together early in the fourth quarter to go up 12-2. Lead-Deadwood struck back later in the fourth quarter after a big Peyton Percy return and an even bigger Enzo Stone connection to Finn Cain down field which set up the score to bring the Golddiggers within a field goal down only 12-9 with a little under four minutes left in the game. After both offenses stalled the Tiger just needed to run out the last minute and change off the clock but disaster struck when Canon Rogers stripped the ball away and returned it for a defensive touchdown. The Tigers needing to respond went back out on offense on on a play that looked to be blown up Shooter Frederick rolled out to his right and threw 45-50 yards down field while he was being pushed out of bounds and found Dylan Fjeldheim open who fumbled trying to get into the endzone before it was scooped up by his teammate Trayden Stambach and brought in for the go ahead touchdown that would seal a close victory for the Tigers.
Mobridge-Pollock will travel to take on Clark/Willow Lake next Friday, October 10 for their last road game of the regular season, kickoff is at 6:00 p.m. CST.
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