TIGERS ROAR TO VICTORY

    The Groton Area football squad exploded for 48 first half points on the way to a 54-0 season-opening Northeast Conference home win over Webster Area that ended with 4:28 remaining in the third period on the 50-point rule.
    This week the Tigers travel to Mobridge-Pollock while the Bearcats play at McCook Central-Montrose.
    “It was a good start to the season,” said Groton Area coach Shaun Wanner.  “I felt it was a confidence booster for our young kids that played and overall I felt our team played well on both sides of the ball.  Any time you score 54 points and don’t give up any points that’s a good way to start the season. We have some very good teams on the schedule and just have to keep getting better.
    “Mobridge-Pollock will be a good test for us. I feel they have one of the best running backs in 11B with Mack Saxon, and he was on the 11B honorable mention team as a sophomore. They have a very good junior group and they’re well coached.  Keys for us are to keep the turnovers down and improve in the kicking game.”
    Groton Area scored 16 points in just 29 seconds to get off on the right foot in the opening period.  Karter Moody pounced on a fumble in the end zone with 2:36 to play in the first quarter, Gavin Englund recovered a fumble 14 seconds later and scored from the one, and the Tigers added a safety at the 2:07 mark for a 16-0 lead.
    The Tigers put the game away in the second stanza with four scores and four two-point conversions.  Freshman quarterback Asher Johnson scored from the eight and then passed to Anthony Tracy for the conversion just 20 seconds into the second period.  Just over a minute later Skylar Godel found paydirt from the four and Ryder Schelle added the conversion run.  Keegen Tracy broke loose from 18 yards out with 7:22 left in the half and Asher Johnson passed to Ryder Johnson for two.
 Schelle capped the second period scoring at the 3:56 mark on a one-yard run and the Johnson-to-Johnson connection struck again for the conversion and the big halftime lead.
    Godel came up with his second score of the night on a one-yard run to end the game on the 50-point rule with 4:28 remaining in the third quarter.
    Grotn Area ran for 126 yards and passed for 81 to hold a 207-27 total yardage advantage.  The Tigers defense limited the Bearcats to just 24 yards on 20 carries and one pass completion for three yards.  Tucker Hardy and Ben Hoeft led the defensive effort with five stops each.