Raiders fall short in ACGC rematch

GUTHRIE CENTER — Mount Ayr’s explosive offense was contained for more than three quarters by ACGC’s stifling defense as the Chargers advanced to the Class A quarterfinals with a 21-7 victory Friday night.

A week earlier, the Raiders rallied from a 20-point deficit to defeat St. Albert 55-47 in the opening round. Mount Ayr accumulated 690 rushing yards in the game, including 391 by junior running back Dyson Thompson.

Yards were much tougher to come by against ACGC, which improved to 10-0. Thompson finally broke through for an 83-yard touchdown run with 4:22 left in the game, but it was too little, too late as the Raiders bowed out at 6-4.

The Chargers were the last team to beat Mount Ayr, 28-20 in week four, before a five-game Raider winning streak ended in the second meeting Friday in the round of 16. The Chargers’ option rushing attack accounted for all but 16 of the team’s 314 yards in total offense, as quarterback Thomas Skram completed his only pass to running back Brexton Schneider for 16 yards.

Friday’s playoff game was marred five five total turnovers — including three fumbles lost by the Chargers — and both offenses had difficulties finishing drives with points. In the end, Mount Ayr was outgained by nearly 100 yards and forced to punt four times to ACGC’s two punts.

Mount Ayr coach Ryan Victor said the credit goes to ACGC for limiting the Raiders’ dangerous offense.

“A few big plays was really the difference in this game,” Victor said. “We weren’t able to really break one until the fourth quarter. We moved the ball at times, but they did a good job of keeping us behind the chains. Third downs were tough, longer distances that we’re used to. You also have to give props to our defense. That’s a really good offense they went up against there.”

ACGC was held to its lowest scoring total of the season. Both victories over Mount Ayr were the closest margins of the Chargers’ season to date. ACGC hosts 9-1 West Sioux in Friday’s quarterfinal round for a trip to the UNI-Dome.

The Chargers held a 14-0 halftime lead on two rushing touchdowns by Ryder Cline. Joe Crawford, who finished with 107 yards, scored a 12-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Schneider led the Chargers with 130 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Thompson finished with 131 yards on 14 carries for the Raiders. Quarterback Jackson Ruggles ran for 73 yards and was 1-of-5 passing for a 1-yard connection to wingback Adler Reed.

“We like to run a little off tackle play we like to run with Dyson, and they were able to fill on that,” Victor said. “They are big up front and their linebackers fill hard and they’re good tacklers. That’s a well-coached football team.”

Season turnaround

Mount Ayr made a strong run this season after beginning the season 1-3, showing the fifth-best rushing attack in Class A going into Friday’s game with 2,693 yards. However, ACGC is the only Class A team with more than 3,000 yards rushing so Friday’s matchup was a battle of elite ground attacks.

“We had a pretty successful season after starting out 1-3 in that grinder of a schedule,” Victor said. “Our kids could have checked it in, but they responded and won five in a row. That was a good win last week over St. Albert. When you’re down 21 with eight minutes to go against a quality team like St. Albert and get the win, that’s pretty special. We beat a tough Avoca team. We told the kids afterward, they did exactly what we wanted them to do and finished the season battling as one of the 16 teams left in Class A. ACGC is a great football team. There’s a reason they win as many games as they do.”

Ruggles is one of eight seniors departing from a team that reached the round of 16 three of the last four years.

“They’re great kids,” Victor said. “We’re not only going to miss them because of their leadership and playmakers, but they’re quality people that you just enjoy being around. We bring back Dyson and Adler (Reed) and three of our five offensive linemen. But, we lose some good ones in Jackson, Tate Dugan and linemen like Rowan Sackett and Bracken Collier. You don’t replace them, but you find the next guy and we think we have some people that can step in.”

Sackett led the defense Friday with 8.5 tackles. Dugan had eight tackles, Ruggles finished with seven and Collier had 5.5.

ACGC 21, Mount Ayr 7

Points by quarter

MA 0 0 0 7 — 7

ACGC 7 7 7 0 — 21

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

ACGC — Ryder Cline 48 run (Oliver Wetzel kick), 0:13

Second Quarter

ACGC — Cline 1 run (Wetzel kick), 4:16

Third Quarter

ACGC — Joe Crawford 12 run (Wetzel kick), 1:30

Fourth Quarter

MA — Dyson Thompson 83 run (Drew Graham kick), 4:22

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TEAM STATISTICS

MA ACGC

Rushes-yards 43-231 42-298

Passing 1-5-0 1-1-0

Passing yards 1 16

Total yards 232 314

Punts-avg. 4-28.0 2-25.0

Fumbles lost 2 3

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — MA: Dyson Thompson 14-133, 1 TD; Jackson Ruggles 14-75; Adler Reed 12-30; Tate Dugan 3-7. ACGC: Brexton Schneider 21-141; Joe Crawford 7-119, 1 TD; Ryder Cline 10-71, 2 TD; Thomas Skram 2-10.

PASSING — MA: Ruggles 1-5-0 for 1 yard. ACGC: Skram 1-1-0 for 16 yards.

RECEIVING — MA: Reed 1-1. ACGC: Schneider 1-16.

TACKLE LEADERS (solo) — MA: Rowan Sackett 8.5 (2), T. Dugan 8.0 (5), Ruggles 7.0 (3), Reed 6.0 (3), Bracken Collier 5.5 (3), Isac Dugan 4.0 (2), Drayden Thompson 3.0 (2), Dyson Thompson 3.0 (1), Trace Knapp 3.0 (2), Tate Larson 3.0. ACGC: Xander Harwood 10.5 (5), Schneider 4.5 (4), Carter Richter 4.5 (2), Jack Sheeder 4.0 (2).

INTERCEPTIONS — None.

FUMBLE RECOVERIES — MA: Ruggles 1, Knapp 1, Sackett 1. ACGC: Cline 1, Sheeder 1.

TACKLES FOR LOSS — MA: Sackett 2.5, I. Dugan 1.0, Collier 0.5. ACGC: Richter 2.5, Harwood 2.0, Angel Martinez 1.5, Sheeder 1.0, Morgun Nolte 0.5, Schneider 0.5, Brennan Tunink 0.5.