The Winner Warriors defeated the Tri-Valley Mustangs on Friday afternoon in Vermillion at the Dakota Dome 45-6 to win the 11B state football championship. This is the sixth state football title in program history for the Winner Warriors.
Tri-Valley got the ball to start the game, but the Mustangs failed to convert a fourth down in the red-zone. Winner running back Windsor Barry got the game going for the Warriors on a 36-yard touchdown run. It would be 7-0, and that score would stand through the first quarter of play.
Winner quarterback Drew DeMers found wide out Riley Frazier for a 13-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, bringing the Warriors to a 14-0 lead.
With 4:45 to play in the half, Warriors kicker Jonas Brill knocked through a 29-yard field goal. Winner now led Tri-Valley 17-0.
In the late stages of the half, Barry finished off a Warriors offensive drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge. Winner led Tri-Valley going into the locker room 24-0.
The Mustangs came up with a much-needed defensive stop to start the third quarter, but it was nulled when Noah Jewett threw an interception to Jordan Turgeon, which went 24-yards to the house. At the 9:33 mark in the third quarter, the Warriors led the Mustangs 31-0.
Brenton Hanisch, Mustangs running back, ended the scoring drought for Tri-Valley when he broke loose through the line for a 38-yard touchdown run. The XP was missed and Winner still led 31-6.
The Warriors answered right back when DeMars connected with Barry for a 67-yard bomb that went for a score. At the 6:56 mark in the third quarter the Warriors extended their lead, 38-6.
Winner extended their lead to 45-6 in the early stages of the fourth quarter when Kayleb Brozik plowed ahead for a 7-yard touchdown run.
That score would stand throughout the remainder of the fourth quarter, and the Winner Warriors are your 2015 class 11B football champions.
This is the third state football title for Winner in Class 11B, but it’s their sixth state football title overall.
