ESPN 99.1 Game of Week Postgame: Pats, Riders Move on to the Dome

Last Friday night, the Lincoln Patriots and Roosevelt Rough Riders survived and advanced to the first ever Class 11AAA State Championship at the DakotaDome in Vermillion next Saturday night.

Lincoln shutout O'Gorman, 28-0, en route to another win in a perfect season. The Patriots and Knights were even for much of the first quarter, as the two teams were scoreless and combined for 33 yards. The rest of the game was the Caden Quintanilla show, and the Pats took advantage of five fumbles by the Knights. Quintanilla scored two touchdowns in the second to give Lincoln a 14-0 lead at half, and then added two more in the third and fourth quarters. The senior running back finished with 29 carries for 118 yards and four touchdowns.

Even though the Patriots got the win, they may have received some bad news. Quarterback Connor Burchill exited the game in the second quarter when he hurt his knee, and spent the rest of the game in crutches. Isaiah Roach finished the game for Burchill. Roach was 6-of-11 for 79 yards in relief.

For the Knights, Luke Fritsch was 3-of-7 for 26 yards, and carried the ball 15 times for 54 yards on the ground. Matt White also had 54 rushing yards.

The Patriots opponent in the title game will be the Riders, as Roosevelt beat Brandon Valley 65-35 under the lights later on Friday night. It was crazy, too. The Riders went ahead 27-0 in the second quarter, but the Lynx soared back. Brandon Valley went on a run, and rattled off 28 points to trail 34-28 in the third quarter. By the end of the third, Roosevelt had a little bit more breathing room, holding a 48-35 lead. Roosevelt scored two more touchdowns in the fourth and kicked a field goal to seal a 65-35 win. All in all, the Riders and Lynx combined for 100 points and Roosevelt outgained Brandon Valley 539-294.

Taryn Christion was the star for the Riders, throwing for four touchdowns and running for two. Chase Vinateri caught two of Christion's touchdowns.

For the Lynx, Jake Comeaux passed for four touchdowns, and A.J. Garrow caught three of them.

Roosevelt and Lincoln will play at 7 p.m. in the DakotaDome on Saturday night for the Class 11AAA state championship.