When it comes to scheduling homecoming opponents, Brandon Valley struck gold this year. Even though the Lynx don’t have a lot to say in how things shake out each fall in regards to the schedule, they got a gift Friday when Sioux Falls Roosevelt rolled into town.
The Rough Riders entered Friday’s game with an 0-3 mark, and took it on the chin from the Lynx who rolled to a 55-14 win in front of a packed house.
Just before halftime, Ryder Mueller scored for the Lynx from one yard out, extending Brandon Valley’s lead to 49-0 with 43 seconds to play in the second quarter. At that time, Roosevelt had three yards of total offense.
“We knew we’d have a good night,” said Brandon Valley linebacker Dylan Williams, who finished with two tackles, an interception and fumble recovery. “But Roosevelt is going to fight. We knew we had an opportunity to get better and not just coast. We know we have to get better when we play better teams.”
Friday’s game was over in a hurry. Nolan Pudwill set the tone and took the opening kickoff back to the Roosevelt 42-yard line. Ten plays later, Levi Veskrna scored the first of his three touchdowns.
The Lynx scored seven touchdowns in the first half, four of the scoring drives coming in under a minute. Three of those quick scoring drives were set up by Roosevelt turnovers. The other was a bad snap on a punt where the Riders recovered on their own six-yard line and the Lynx scored two plays later.
One of the three turnovers in the first half was Williams’ interception with four minutes to play in the second quarter. His pick was aided by a blitz by fellow defensive back Chase Leary, who rushed quarterback Weslee Werkmeister into an errant throw that hung in the air for an extended amount of time.
“Just beautiful play-making all over the field,” Christensen said.
The second half didn’t see a starter from Brandon Valley take the field with the 49-point advantage and a running clock per SDHSAA mercy rules.
“It’s kind of hard to lock in mentally to make sure you’re still getting better even if you know the competition is down,” Williams said of not playing in the second half against an inferior opponent. “You still have to get up and get better.”
But the starters were efficient again in the first half. Along with his three touchdowns, Veskrna finished with 79 yards on 11 carries. Quarterback Briggs Knutson was 12-for-15 for 141 yards and three touchdowns, two to Jack Blomgren, who finished with 77 yards on five catches. Austin Dowd also caught a touchdown and finished with 27 yards on three catches. Maddox Mueller had three catches for 77 yards.
“We still want even better execution, better fundamentals,” Christensen said of his starting unit. “Guys get excited to make plays and sometimes don’t. We know they can, that’s the fun part, knowing they can make a couple more.”
Brandon Valley is now 4-0 and have outscored their opponents 181-39 over that span. But things are about to get real for the second-ranked Lynx.
They get a 1-3 Rapid City Central team on the road this Friday, but then it’s an 11AAA championship rematch with No. 1 Sioux Falls Lincoln on Oct. 3. That’s followed by No. 5 Harrisburg and No. 3 Sioux Falls Jefferson to close out the regular season.
“They definitely know it,” Christensen said when asked if his team knows the teeth of Brandon Valley’s schedule is in front of them. “They know we’re preparing to peak at the right time and playing the best football at the right moments. It’ll take good fundamentals and good practice, and the mental side of it has to be there.”
