GROTON, S.D. – The Mobridge-Pollock Tigers suffered a tough 18-12 loss to Groton Area Friday night in a hard-fought defensive battle. Groton Area capitalized on key field-position advantages to secure one of its biggest wins of the season, dropping the Tigers to 3-4 on the year.
The game opened with a strong defensive stand from Groton Area, followed by a costly special teams mistake for Mobridge-Pollock, as its first punt went straight into the line of scrimmage and gave Groton Area excellent field position.
After Groton Area found the end zone first, the Tigers responded with a big play of their own. Mobridge-Pollock caught the Groton Area secondary off guard with a well-executed pump fake, leaving Kale Knudson wide open for a touchdown reception to even the score.
Groton Area answered right back, with sophomore quarterback Asher Johnson breaking the tie on a big rushing touchdown. Johnson tightroped the sideline on his way to the end zone, beginning a night filled with impact plays on both sides of the ball. After Johnson came up with an interception, Groton Area capitalized again to build an 18-6 lead.
In the second half, the Mobridge-Pollock defense tightened up and gave the Tigers opportunities to get back into the game. Easton Eisemann helped spark the offense with a strong showing on the ground, cutting the deficit to one score and giving Mobridge-Pollock a chance to mount a comeback.
Despite the defense continuing to create opportunities in the fourth quarter, the Tigers couldn’t break through Groton Area’s defense to find the equalizer. With less than two minutes remaining, Jordan Schwan and Anthony Tracy teamed up on a tip-drill interception to seal the 18-12 victory for Groton Area.
Johnson’s impact on both offense and defense earned him Burger King Player of the Game honors as Groton Area held on for the win.
Mobridge-Pollock returns home next week looking to finish their regular season off with a win when they host Miller/Highmore-Harrold. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT on October 16.
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