Kerri Rempp-Sioux County Schools PIO
Sioux County struck first in the Warriors’ playoff game against Hay Springs Friday but couldn’t find enough defense to stop the Hawks. Hay Springs ended the Warriors’ 2024 season 72-36.
Sioux County found the endzone on its opening play when Baxter Reece went 46 yards to put the Warriors on top early 6-0. Hay Springs nearly scored on its own opening offensive play, but Sioux County’s Preston Kreman nabbed Dylan Young by the ankle at the one-yard line to prevent the score. Tripp Buettner scored on the next play to tie it up, and the Hawks recovered the onside kick to keep the momentum and scored four consecutive times before Sioux County saw the endzone again. Dylan Raymer put the Hawks up 14-6 and a 58-yard touchdown from Dylan Young to Talan Smith made it 20-6 before the period ended.
Raymer extended the Hawk lead with two quick rushing touchdowns early in the second quarter, giving them a 36-6 advantage. Sioux County’s Reece answered with a 17-yard catch from Kreman for a score with 3:33 left in the first half. The Warriors allowed another Hawk score, however, when Young found Evan Smith for a 16-yard touchdown. Sioux County came up big on both sides of the ball in the final minute of the half. Kreman caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Reece with 16 seconds left to make it 44-18, and the Warrior defense intercepted a Hail Mary pass by Hay Springs at the goal line as time expired.
The teams traded scores in the third quarter. Raymer scored from 17 yards out with 6:54 on the clock. The next 54 seconds saw Reece connect with Kreman on an eight-yard scoring pass for Sioux County and Raymer back in the endzone on a 41-yard touchdown run for Hay Springs to make it 59-24. Reece found Thaine Monroe in the endzone a few minutes later, and Buettner capped the quarter for Hay Springs, scrambling in from five yards out to make it 65-30.
Each team fumbled the ball away early in the fourth quarter before Hay Springs scored on a pick-six by Heidyn Johnson to make it 72-30 with a minute and half left. Gilberto Hernandez answered for Sioux County, scrambling in from five yards out with eight seconds left in the game.
Hay Springs remained undefeated after the win and advanced to the second round of playoffs. Sioux County ended the year with a 4-5 record. Hay Springs will host Silver Lake on Friday, November 8th with a kickoff time for 4pm mt.