Hitchcock-Tulare Rallies Over Herreid-Selby in the 9B State Final
In this article:
1ST QUARTER
Patriots 2023 quarterback Carter Binger found 2023 wide receiver Cole Schroeder Cole Schroeder TE Hitchcock-Tulare | 2023 State for a 7-yard touchdown reception after a huge gain thru the air from Binger to 2023 wide receiver Landon Puffer Landon Puffer 6'1" | 185 lbs | WR Hitchcock-Tulare | 2023 State . The Patriots went for two most of the game and were reasonably successful at it, however, the Wolverines stuffed them on their try on their first score of the game. Hitchcock-Tulare 6, Herreid-Selby 0.
After building a significant connection with 2023 wide receiver Cole Zabel Cole Zabel 5'9" | 145 lbs | WR Herreid-Selby | 2023 on the drive, Wolverines 2023 quarterback Tray Hettick Tray Hettick 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Herreid/Selby | 2023 State found a small window to slide into the end zone with a 1-yard rushing touchdown. Even on a pulled hamstring from last week, Division I prospect, Brenden Begeman Brenden Begeman 6'2" | 195 lbs | RB Herreid/Selby | 2023 State got the Wolverines in with the two-point conversion to give them their first lead of the afternoon in Vermillion. Herreid-Selby 8, Hitchcock-Tulare 6. End of the 1st quarter.
2ND QUARTER
After just missing the end zone on a reviewed pass & catch, the Patriots wasted no time after that, as quarterback Carter Binger (2023) got another 7-yard passing touchdown this time to 2023 wide receiver Riley Fiehle. Again, the “Nasty 9” defense from Herreid-Selby was able to stop the Patriots in their tracks on the two-point conversion making it just a 4-point lead. Hitchcock-Tulare 12, Herreid-Selby 8. After this score, was when Hitchcock-Tulare was able to gain more fluid momentum shooting their way.
After a 4th down turnover on a pass break up by Prep Redzone Dakotas prospect Erik Salmen Erik Salmen 6'0" | 200 lbs | RB Hitchcock-Tulare | 2024 State SD (2024) the Patriots got it done with Riley Fiehle (2023) on the ground this time as a long drive resulted in a 4-yard rushing touchdown by Riley to close out the half for the Patriots with a 12-point lead on the Wolverines. Hitchcock-Tulare 20, Herreid-Selby 8. Halftime
3RD QUARTER
I was anxiously waiting for the Brenden Begeman Brenden Begeman 6'2" | 195 lbs | RB Herreid/Selby | 2023 State (2023) runaway train to get to plowing down defenders with the lowered shoulder and swift agility with his footwork, and we started to see it come together for the top 20 ranked overall prospect in the Dakotas in the third quarter. He pounded thru a slew of Patriots inside to get his first touchdown of the game from 7yards out to get Herreid-Selby within striking distance of the Patriots. Hitchcock-Tulare 20, Herreid-Selby 14.
After a steady another steady drive down the field for the Wolverines of Herreid-Selby, we saw what was by far the play of the game and probably a state record happen in a matter of seconds when 2024 safety Brendan Nowell picked off Hettick on the 2-yard line and took it the nearly the full distance of the field for a 98-yard pick six to get the Patriots up by two scores on the Wolverines. Hitchcock-Tulare 26, Herreid-Selby 14. End of the 3rd quarter
FOURTH QUARTER
The Herreid-Selby Wolverines certainly came around putting more fluidity and strength in their drives in the second half as we got more of Brenden Begeman Brenden Begeman 6'2" | 195 lbs | RB Herreid/Selby | 2023 State which the Patriots were able to load the box and slow him down in the first half, but that was not the case in the second half. He got this time a 6-yard rushing touchdown in which he capped off a handful of key runs to really set the tone for the Wolverine’s bread and butter on offense. They took just four plays on 63 yards to get this drive done to kick the 9B SD state final back to one score game. Hitchcock-Tulare 26, Herreid-Selby 20.
The Herreid-Selby crowd could certainly feel the momentum shifting back their way however, there was a questionable call by the officiating crew that did not go their way on the 2nd review. It looked after a couple of looks I had, that after the Patriots advanced the ball into Wolverines territory, Brenden Begeman Brenden Begeman 6'2" | 195 lbs | RB Herreid/Selby | 2023 State got a strip before the Patriots player’s knee was down. However, the refs had a different look at it as Hitchcock-Tulare was able to capitalize with their superb ball movement they carried all game as QB Carter Binger found WR Landon Puffer Landon Puffer 6'1" | 185 lbs | WR Hitchcock-Tulare | 2023 State for his third touchdown of the game on back-to-back big plays to get back in the end zone putting the Patriots up two scores. Hitchcock-Tulare 34, Herreid-Selby 20.
A state record was broken on the next Wolverines drive down the field, as Brenden Begeman Brenden Begeman 6'2" | 195 lbs | RB Herreid/Selby | 2023 State broke the South Dakota career rushing record with 6807 rushing yards in his career topping former Howard RB Luke Loudenburg by one yard. Later in the drive, Begeman showed off that mega 6’2 210 pound body he has and lowered his shoulder for his third touchdown of the afternoon. This time around the Wolverines was victorious on the 2-point conversion. Hitchcock-Tulare 34, Herreid-Selby 28.
After that, the Patriot’s offense controlled the heck out of the rest of the game, as QB Carter Binger (2023) got his fourth passing touchdown of the afternoon with a 65-yard completion to his right-hand man with his second receiving touchdown of the game: WR Landon Puffer Landon Puffer 6'1" | 185 lbs | WR Hitchcock-Tulare | 2023 State (2023). The Patriots were able to get the two-point conversion as well on their next two scoring drives. Hitchcock-Tulare 42, Herreid-Selby 28.
Landon Puffer Landon Puffer 6'1" | 185 lbs | WR Hitchcock-Tulare | 2023 State showed his athleticism all game long on both sides of the ball as he got the game-clinching interception off of Hettick to shoot down the Wolverine’s chances of a comeback.
Last but not least, the Patriots had one last score in them as Carter Binger added a fifth touchdown this time from the ground, on a 44-yard rushing touchdown up middle untouched to with certainty put the game away for the Patriots. Hitchcock-Tulare 50, Herreid-Selby 28. Final
Although the Herreid-Selby Wolverines ended up on the receiving end of back-to-back South Dakota runner-ups in 2021 and now 2022, the Wolverines showed an extreme amount of team chemistry all game and especially at the end of the game. With Begeman on his last leg from giving the Wolverines all he had in the tank while playing thru an injury, we saw the leaders of the Wolverines as a team carry their star running back off the field on one of the final plays of the game which to me was one of the best team moments I have seen live while being with Prep Redzone Dakotas as from getting to know this Wolverines program well since we started PRZ Dakotas in 2020.
Next Up: In the coming days, we will give you our All-Tournament Team from the South Dakota 9B state championship game. Stay tuned Patriots and Wolverines fans!