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ELKTON, S.D. — Elkton-Lake Benton rolled to a 35-point lead by intermission, and the Elks cruised from there in a Class 9AA first-round game at the Elkton Athletic Complex Thursday, Oct. 23.
Colt Beck rushed for two TD and threw a 12-yard scoring pass to Joseph Nibbe, who transitioned from wide receiver to quarterback for the second half.
Elkton-Lake Benton’s Colt Beck (5) runs during a 2024 playoff game. Beck rushed for two TD, and threw for another in a 49-0 victory over De Smet on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. (Star file photo by Eric Viccaro)
Eliot Erickson scored twice, once on a 4-yard rushing TD and on an 11-yard pass from Nibbe. He finished with 128 total yards from 13 touches.
Myles Poindexter was the Elks’ defensive standout with 15 tackles (including four for negative yardage), and a pick-six covering 56 yards. Nibbe had 16 tackles and an interception on defense.
Overall, ELB picked off De Smet four times.
“Four interceptions in a game is a great stat line to accomplish,” ELB head coach Kaleb Haas said in an email to the Pipestone County Star. “The defense did a good job of reading their keys, and being ready for deep passes after we were able to get the lead early in the game.”
Wanner Enriquez was 5-of-6 on point-after kicks, and Erickson added a two-point conversion run to complete the scoring.
Elkton-Lake Benton kicker Wanner Enriquez made two extra-point kicks in the Elks’ 46-21 victory over Hanson on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. (Photo by Eric Viccaro)
The Elks (8-1) will face Hanson in the 9AA quarterfinals at 6 p.m. Thursday at the EAC.
“Hanson is a well-coached team with a lot of good athletes,” Haas explained. “Communication will be key offensively to ensure our front is on the same page blocking the defensive look we will be seeing each play.”
This will mark the second straight season for ELB to face Hanson in the playoffs. The Elks topped the Beavers, 46-21, on Oct. 31, 2024.
Murray County Central 45, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 7
SLAYTON — Russell-Tyler-Ruthton opened this Section 3A playoff game scoring the first TD.
However, after that, it was all Murray County Central in a 38-point romp over the Knights Saturday.
Early in the first quarter, Gavin Schreurs threw a 25-yard TD strike to Brayden Chandler and Tyler Wichmann added the extra-point kick. The Knights’ drive covered 64 yards.
RTR kept MCC scoreless in the first quarter, recovering a Carson Lewis fumble. However, the Rebels’ Lucas Kuball stripped the Knights shortly thereafter.
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton’s Tyson Burns (3) has the ball stripped by Murray County Central’s Lucas Kuball during a Section 3A playoff football game on Saturday, Oct. 25, in Slayton. (Contributed photo by Skylar Jackson/The Globe)
A MCC drive stalled at about the RTR 5-yard line in the second quarter. Quinten Lewis then sacked Schreurs for a safety, and Carson Lewis basically took care of the rest scoring three rushing TD.
Teague Meyer scored on an 80-yard pick-six, and Aubin Licht connected on a 27-yard field goal early in the third quarter. The Rebels established a three-possession lead, too insurmountable for RTR (7-2).
Chandler finished with nine catches for the Knights.
Lewis paced all players with 23 carries for 196 yards as the Rebels finished with a 444-140 edge in total offense (and 20-9 in first downs).
This marked the final scholastic game for Tyson Burns, Isaac Janish, Colten Thomsen, Levi Tommeraasen, Tyler Dagel, Alex Kuestermeyer, Tucker Gile, Tyler Wichmann, Tyson Burns and Gavin Schreurs.
This senior group — along with head coach Ted Kern — spearheaded a five-win improvement during the 2025 season.
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton head football coach Ted Kern is one reason for the Knights’ turnaround in 2025. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Earlier in the week, RTR defeated Bird Island-Olivia-Lake Lillian (BOLD), 13-6, setting up the semifinal versus MCC.
MCC (7-2) advanced to Friday’s Section 3A championship versus state powerhouse Springfield, a 43-0 winner over Sleepy Eye United.