Blackhawks pile-up on the Warbirds runner, hoping to cause a fumble after taking him down during Friday night’s battle in Woonsocket.

The Blackhawks cemented their position as the top team in the state Friday night as they took down the No. 2-rated and 2014 9A Champion team, Wolsey-Wessington, 20-6.
The Warbirds’ high-powered offense had been averaging nearly 50 points per game and their defense was allowing an average of just six, before the Blackhawks got ahold of them in front of a packed home field.
The win solidified the Hawks’ spot at the top of the rankings, a place they’ve held since mid-September, now with all nine first-place votes and 45 power points. W-W, which fell to 7-1, held onto second with 34 power points.
The 7-0 Blackhawks held tough with their defensive front to limit Wolsey-Wessington’s star running back to one touchdown. Hunter Johnson came into the game averaging almost 12.5 yards per carry.
The Hawks stuck to the game plan they’ve been using all season, which is start hard and fast, as they scored on their opening drive with a 12-yard run by their own star back, Landon Ochsner.
Wolsey-Wessington answered with a solid drive, topped off with Johnson’s TD and what would be the Warbirds’ only score.
A one-yard run by senior Trinity Brunsen in the second quarter, followed by a successful Ochsner two-point conversion run ended the half 14-6.
As the temperatures dropped, both hard-hitting defenses continued to beat each other down. About halfway through the fourth, the Blackhawks found themselves mid-field on fourth down and looking at another punt, but caught a break when the defense jumped.
The Hawks took the gift of a new set of downs all the way to the endzone, as they grinded their way downfield, finishing with a one-yard touchdown run by Tucker Kingsbury.
Ochsner led the Blackhawks on offense and defense with 121 rushing yeards, 11.5 tackles and 3.5 tackles for a loss. Garrett Larson also recorded 11 tackles.
Kingsbury had 28 yards on the ground and 38 in the air.
The Blackhawks had 255 total yards to the Warbirds’ 203. Johnson led their rushing attack with 165 yards.
Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central finishes out their season Thursday night in Hitchcock versus 2-5 Hitchcock/Tulare, before hosting the first round of playoffs Tuesday, Oct. 27 in Forestburg.
Wolsey-Wessington can get rested up on a bye this week before their playoff game Tuesday night.