Milbank Defeats Dakota Valley 36-13

The Milbank football team chewed up the yardage on the ground at Dakota Valley in North Sioux City on Friday, October 1, and left with a 36-13 victory.
Milbank ran for 293 yards and five touchdowns — two by Kaden Krause, two by Bennett Schwenn, and one by Ryker Trevett. The Bulldog’s defense held the Panthers to 39 yards rushing.  Dakota Valley put up an additional 166 yards passing, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Dawgs.

The Panthers got the ball first, but were unable to produce. When the Bulldogs got the ball, Schwenn didn’t waste much time. On their second play of the series, he ran it home 92 yards for a touchdown. For the extra points, quarterback Krause sent the ball to junior Barrett Schneck. Schneck ran it in, and the Bulldogs led 8-0.

Dakota Valley rallied and replied with a 64-yard pass for six points. The Panthers added a good kick to edge nearer to the Bulldogs at 8-7.
Still in the first quarter, and with Marshall Voeltz sidelined on the disabled list,  Trevett took over his position. Trevett took his new duties seriously and got the football down to the four-yard line. He then finished the job with a touchdown.  Schwenn kept the extra-point kick between the posts to push Milbank ahead at 15-7 to end the first quarter.   

In the second quarter, Karson Weber snagged an interception and Krause eventually capitalized on it with a one-yard run to score another touchdown for the Bulldogs. Milbank’s run for two points was thwarted, but the Bulldogs kept moving. 

With their lead now increased to 21-7, Schwenn maneuvered his way into scoring position again. He found his opportunity at eight yards out and went in for the kill. The Dawgs were up 27-7. A conversion pass that was on the money added two more points to Milbank’s total, and the Bulldogs held a comfortable 29-7 with halftime approaching.
But, the Panthers had plans of their own, and they sneaked in a touchdown before the clock ran out. DV missed the extra-point kick, though, and when both sides headed to the locker room at halftime, the score sat at 29-13. 

The Bulldogs returned after the break refreshed and ready. Schwenn and Trevett drove the ball down to the Dakota Valley two-yard line and Krause carried it across the border for the touchdown on a third down late in the third quarter. Schwenn put it up and in for one more point. Milbank held the lead at 36-13  

The Bulldogs could have boarded their bus for home then as the fourth quarter was mostly uneventful and neither team put up any points. Both teams pounded out the last few minutes, though, and when they left the field at the end of regulation, the Bulldogs departed with the 36-13 victory in tow.

Schwenn was the leading rusher for Milbank at 142 yards. Trevett added 74. Krause contributed 49, junior Sawyer Gauer had 25, and Schneck had 12.
The defense kicked butt and took names. Weber made seven tackles. Schwenn had five and Connor Bender had three. Schneck and sophomore Jayden Johnson added two apiece. Junior Jackson Bohlen, sophomore Garrett Mertens, Leyton Raffety, Trevett, junior Brayden Christensen, and Stevie Ash all added one each. Maddox Hanson came through for the Bulldogs with two assisted tackles.

Each team threw an interception. Milbank was charged with two penalties for a loss of 24 yards and Dakota Valley lost 35 yards from four penalties. 
The Bulldogs now have their sights set on the playoffs. Milbank is currently in eighth place in 11A and remains eligible. 
The Bulldogs travel to Webster this Friday, October 8, to face the Bearcats. Kick off is 7 p.m.