By Kerri Rempp
The Sioux County Warriors are 2-0 to start the season, with wins over Banner County and Leyton.
In a battle of the Warriors Sept. 6, Sioux County came out on top 46-31 over Leyton in the home opener in Harrison. Leyton struck first, scoring on a 38-yard run to go up 8-0 three minutes into the game. The remainder of the first half, however, was nearly all Sioux County, which took a 38-15 lead into the half-time break. Jack Hunter scored four touchdowns in the first half, including two on catches from Baxter Reece. Josh Perez scored Sioux County’s opened touchdown, also on a Reece pass. Reece also nabbed an interception, setting up Hunter’s final touchdown of the half with 57 seconds on the clock. Logan Monroe also caught a 34-yard pass from Reece for a touchdown.
The third quarter was a defensive standoff, with each team recovering an opponent’s fumble but no scoring until less than a minute remained, when Leyton jogged in from five yards out to make it 38-23. While Leyton crossed the goal line first in the final quarter, its touchdown run was called back on a penalty, and Perez grabbed an interception on a fourth and 20 attempt to set up Hunter’s fifth touchdown on a 58-yard run with just under six minutes left. Leyton punched in a final score from two yards as the clock went under two minutes to close out the contest.
The Sioux County Warriors opened the season with a defeat of Banner County Aug. 30 50-6 on the road. In that contest, Sioux County put up two scores in the first quarter and added 22 in the second for a 36-0 half-time advantage. The Warriors scored a touchdown in each quarter of the second half, and allowed just a single score by Banner County in the final minutes of the game.
Sioux County had 326 rushing yards, led by Reece’s 172, and held Banner County to 72 rushing yards. Reece and Hunter each had three touchdowns.