The football appears to finally be bouncing Sioux Falls O'Gorman's way.
The Knights have rattled off four straight wins, including three by shutout, after starting the season with three losses. Plus, O'Gorman will welcome back two injured starters to the lineup tonight: junior quarterback Tanner Schulte and junior running back Eion Donelan.
Sioux Falls O'Gorman (4-3), ranked fifth in this week's Class 11AA poll, takes on Aberdeen Central (2-5) at 8 p.m. tonight at Swisher Field in Aberdeen. Aberdeen Roncalli entertains Webster in the first game of a doubleheader at Swisher Field at 5 p.m.
The Knights' losses were to Sioux Falls Roosevelt, Brandon Valley and Sioux Falls Washington.
"We had three tough ones right in the beginning," said O'Gorman coach Steve Kueter. "I don't think we played that well. We ran into injuries with key players. We're just getting them back and getting into a rhythm. We're playing better. We've seen what Tanner and Eion can do in practice. We don't know how much or how we're going to use them in the game."
In addition to working players back into the lineup, O'Gorman plans to pass more on offense and blitz more on defense in tonight's game.
"We're hoping to have a better mix offensively. We're throwing the ball better and on Friday (tonight) we'll throw more than we have. We will always be a run-first team. We're going to blitz a little more than we have. Aberdeen tends to spread it out and throw it. Now, we've gone more to man-to-man coverage in the secondary. Aberdeen is a very good football team that's off peoples' radar. They are playing better than people realize," said Kueter, who ranks second in career football coaching wins in the state with a 267-78-1 mark.
Keuter, who coached one season at Webster, was named the Knights' head coach in fall 1982.
In the wake of those early season injuries, O'Gorman is beginning to reap some benefits.
"You can't say that injuries are good for your team," said Kueter. "We had to pick ourselves up after the first three games. We put a lot of new people on the field and the kids who hadn't played much stepped up. We've developed depth."
Aberdeen Central and O'Gorman had common opponents in Brandon Valley and Roosevelt this season. Last week, the Golden Eagles trailed by two touchdowns after the opening minute of play against Brandon Valley.
"We got off to such a bad start against Brandon Valley," said Central head coach Mike Flakus. "I thought the kids were ready to go. Brandon Valley is very good. You have to make plays and we didn't do that early. In the second quarter we did some nice things with our running game and we hope to keep that going."
The Golden Eagles have spent the last couple of weeks working on basics.
"We worked on blocking and tackling. We worked on execution and taking care of your responsibility. The key to this game is that we don't put the football on the ground," said Flakus.
A key component for O'Gorman is overall team speed.
"They are built on speed," said Flakus. "They have good speed in the linebackers and secondary. They don't fool you on defense. They just execute well. We throw a little more than they do. They still run a wing-T with a lot of quick motion, lot of traps and straight ahead running. They are an awfully good football team. We just have to get off to a good start and play well for four quarters."
|Starting Lineups|
S.F. O'Gorman|
|OFFENSE|
Pos. Name| Ht. Wt. Yr.
TE Isaac Althoff 5-11 180 Jr.
OT Max Smith 6-1 225 Sr.
OG Nathan Lenz 6-0 195 Sr.
OC Jackson Schuver 6-4 235 Sr.
OG Cole Ohnoutka 5-11 205 Sr.
OT Grayson Kiehold 6-3 245 Sr.
SE Tyler Pals 6-2 210 Sr.
FB Nic Steffl 5-11 200 Sr.
RB Alex Pujado 5-10 182 Sr.
RB Jaden Holzer 5-9 160 Jr.
Or Eion Donelan 5-8 150 Jr.
QB Blake Hilmoe 6-0 190 Sr.
Or Tanner Schulte 5-10 150 Jr.
DEFENSE|
Pos. Name| Ht. Wt. Yr.
DT Max Smith 6-1 225 Sr.
NG Mike Reichelt 5-7 230 Sr.
DT Austin Pharis 6-2 215 Sr.
LB Ryan Erickson 5-11 212 Sr.
LB Jake Niedringhaus 6-0 200 Jr.
LB Isaac Althoff 5-11 180 Jr.
LB Spencer Hopkins 6-3 190 Jr.
CB Eion Donelan 5-8 150 Jr.
Or Alex Pujado 5-10 182 Sr.
SS Mark Haiar 5-11 180 Sr.
FS Jaden Holzer 5-9 160 Jr.
CB Tyler Pals 6-2 210 Sr.
Aberdeen Central|
|OFFENSE|
Pos. Name| Ht. Wt. Yr.
WR Taite Rausch 6-2 160 Jr.
TE Cole Carlson 6-3 190 Jr.
OT Carter Paulson 6-3 220 Sr.
OG Zach Fleming 6-0 225 Jr.
Or Brock DeGroot 6-2 200 So.
OC Sam Schaunaman 6-0 225 So.
OG Brenden Miller 5-8 200 Jr.
OT Schyler Kumpf 5-10 215 Sr.
WR Tyler Hollinsworth 5-8 150 Sr.
QB Jake Carrico 6-1 195 Sr.
RB Greyson Phillips 5-6 150 Jr.
RB Josh Hilgemann 5-10 165 Sr.
|DEFENSE|
Pos. Name| Ht. Wt. Yr.
DE Jon Brave 5-10 200 Sr.
NG Aaron Henley 5-9 195 Sr.
DE Carter Paulson 6-3 220 Sr.
LB Chase Severson 6-1 170 Jr.
LB Schyler Kumpf 5-10 215 Sr.
LB Scheffer Harbert 5-11 170 Sr.
LB Brenden Miller 5-8 200 Jr.
CB Greyson Phillips 5-6 150 Jr.
SS Michael Stotz 6-1 170 Jr.
FS Josh Hilgemann 5-10 165 Sr.
CB Isaac Jones 6-1 185 So.
The Knights have rattled off four straight wins, including three by shutout, after starting the season with three losses. Plus, O'Gorman will welcome back two injured starters to the lineup tonight: junior quarterback Tanner Schulte and junior running back Eion Donelan.
Sioux Falls O'Gorman (4-3), ranked fifth in this week's Class 11AA poll, takes on Aberdeen Central (2-5) at 8 p.m. tonight at Swisher Field in Aberdeen. Aberdeen Roncalli entertains Webster in the first game of a doubleheader at Swisher Field at 5 p.m.
The Knights' losses were to Sioux Falls Roosevelt, Brandon Valley and Sioux Falls Washington.
"We had three tough ones right in the beginning," said O'Gorman coach Steve Kueter. "I don't think we played that well. We ran into injuries with key players. We're just getting them back and getting into a rhythm. We're playing better. We've seen what Tanner and Eion can do in practice. We don't know how much or how we're going to use them in the game."
In addition to working players back into the lineup, O'Gorman plans to pass more on offense and blitz more on defense in tonight's game.
"We're hoping to have a better mix offensively. We're throwing the ball better and on Friday (tonight) we'll throw more than we have. We will always be a run-first team. We're going to blitz a little more than we have. Aberdeen tends to spread it out and throw it. Now, we've gone more to man-to-man coverage in the secondary. Aberdeen is a very good football team that's off peoples' radar. They are playing better than people realize," said Kueter, who ranks second in career football coaching wins in the state with a 267-78-1 mark.
Keuter, who coached one season at Webster, was named the Knights' head coach in fall 1982.
In the wake of those early season injuries, O'Gorman is beginning to reap some benefits.
"You can't say that injuries are good for your team," said Kueter. "We had to pick ourselves up after the first three games. We put a lot of new people on the field and the kids who hadn't played much stepped up. We've developed depth."
Aberdeen Central and O'Gorman had common opponents in Brandon Valley and Roosevelt this season. Last week, the Golden Eagles trailed by two touchdowns after the opening minute of play against Brandon Valley.
"We got off to such a bad start against Brandon Valley," said Central head coach Mike Flakus. "I thought the kids were ready to go. Brandon Valley is very good. You have to make plays and we didn't do that early. In the second quarter we did some nice things with our running game and we hope to keep that going."
The Golden Eagles have spent the last couple of weeks working on basics.
"We worked on blocking and tackling. We worked on execution and taking care of your responsibility. The key to this game is that we don't put the football on the ground," said Flakus.
A key component for O'Gorman is overall team speed.
"They are built on speed," said Flakus. "They have good speed in the linebackers and secondary. They don't fool you on defense. They just execute well. We throw a little more than they do. They still run a wing-T with a lot of quick motion, lot of traps and straight ahead running. They are an awfully good football team. We just have to get off to a good start and play well for four quarters."
|Starting Lineups|
S.F. O'Gorman|
|OFFENSE|
Pos. Name| Ht. Wt. Yr.
TE Isaac Althoff 5-11 180 Jr.
OT Max Smith 6-1 225 Sr.
OG Nathan Lenz 6-0 195 Sr.
OC Jackson Schuver 6-4 235 Sr.
OG Cole Ohnoutka 5-11 205 Sr.
OT Grayson Kiehold 6-3 245 Sr.
SE Tyler Pals 6-2 210 Sr.
FB Nic Steffl 5-11 200 Sr.
RB Alex Pujado 5-10 182 Sr.
RB Jaden Holzer 5-9 160 Jr.
Or Eion Donelan 5-8 150 Jr.
QB Blake Hilmoe 6-0 190 Sr.
Or Tanner Schulte 5-10 150 Jr.
DEFENSE|
Pos. Name| Ht. Wt. Yr.
DT Max Smith 6-1 225 Sr.
NG Mike Reichelt 5-7 230 Sr.
DT Austin Pharis 6-2 215 Sr.
LB Ryan Erickson 5-11 212 Sr.
LB Jake Niedringhaus 6-0 200 Jr.
LB Isaac Althoff 5-11 180 Jr.
LB Spencer Hopkins 6-3 190 Jr.
CB Eion Donelan 5-8 150 Jr.
Or Alex Pujado 5-10 182 Sr.
SS Mark Haiar 5-11 180 Sr.
FS Jaden Holzer 5-9 160 Jr.
CB Tyler Pals 6-2 210 Sr.
Aberdeen Central|
|OFFENSE|
Pos. Name| Ht. Wt. Yr.
WR Taite Rausch 6-2 160 Jr.
TE Cole Carlson 6-3 190 Jr.
OT Carter Paulson 6-3 220 Sr.
OG Zach Fleming 6-0 225 Jr.
Or Brock DeGroot 6-2 200 So.
OC Sam Schaunaman 6-0 225 So.
OG Brenden Miller 5-8 200 Jr.
OT Schyler Kumpf 5-10 215 Sr.
WR Tyler Hollinsworth 5-8 150 Sr.
QB Jake Carrico 6-1 195 Sr.
RB Greyson Phillips 5-6 150 Jr.
RB Josh Hilgemann 5-10 165 Sr.
|DEFENSE|
Pos. Name| Ht. Wt. Yr.
DE Jon Brave 5-10 200 Sr.
NG Aaron Henley 5-9 195 Sr.
DE Carter Paulson 6-3 220 Sr.
LB Chase Severson 6-1 170 Jr.
LB Schyler Kumpf 5-10 215 Sr.
LB Scheffer Harbert 5-11 170 Sr.
LB Brenden Miller 5-8 200 Jr.
CB Greyson Phillips 5-6 150 Jr.
SS Michael Stotz 6-1 170 Jr.
FS Josh Hilgemann 5-10 165 Sr.
CB Isaac Jones 6-1 185 So.