VERMILLION, S.D. – Brandon Valley rode a punishing ground attack and a career night from senior running back Levi Veskrna to reclaim the Class 11AAA state football championship, defeating Sioux Falls Lincoln 34-27 on Saturday at the DakotaDome.
Veskrna—named Joe Robbie MVP, Outstanding Back, and playing behind Outstanding Lineman Hudson Parliament—ran 39 times for 260 yards and three touchdowns as the Lynx (10-1) controlled the line of scrimmage and the clock to outlast a high-powered Lincoln offense.
The two teams combined for 834 yards of total offense in a fast-paced championship that remarkably featured zero punts.
Back-and-forth early
Brandon Valley set the tone on the game’s opening drive, marching 93 yards in 11 plays. Veskrna carried on every snap, finishing the drive with a 2-yard keeper to give the Lynx a 7-0 lead.
Lincoln (10-1) answered in similar fashion. Quarterback Brody Schafer engineered a 94-yard drive capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass to Everett Starks to tie the game late in the first quarter.
Veskrna added a 6-yard touchdown run early in the second to put BV back on top, but Schafer struck again just 86 seconds later—this time keeping it himself for a 48-yard scoring burst that tied the game at 14-14.
On the next snap, Brandon Valley regained the lead for good. Quarterback Ryder Mueller broke loose on a designed keeper, racing 55 yards to the end zone for a 20-14 Lynx advantage.
Lincoln keeps pressure on
Schafer kept Lincoln within reach all night, totaling 382 yards of offense. The senior finished with 138 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, along with 244 yards and two scores through the air.
He opened the second half with a 10-play, 70-yard scoring drive, punching it in from a yard out to lift the Patriots to a brief 21-20 lead.
But Brandon Valley’s physicality again tilted the momentum. Veskrna capped an 11-play march with a 17-yard touchdown run to put BV ahead 26-21.
Lincoln regained the lead once more when Schafer found Louison Akossi for a 5-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The Patriots, however, failed on the 2-point try, leaving them ahead just 27-26.
Knutson delivers the game-winner
Brandon Valley responded with the drive of the night: 10 plays, 66 yards, and a championship-defining answer. Junior quarterback Briggs Knutson finished it off with a 5-yard keeper, then hit Mueller for the 2-point conversion to push the lead to 34-27 with 5:38 remaining.
Lincoln drove inside BV territory on its final possession, but the Lynx defense—led by Bryton Stroh and Chase Leary with nine tackles each—held on downs at the BV 23 with 1:31 left.
From there, Veskrna carried the Lynx to the finish line, sealing Brandon Valley’s latest championship in a season defined by power and persistence.
Brandon Valley finished with a 27:14 advantage in time of possession and converted 8 of 10 third downs.
Statistical Leaders
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Brandon Valley: 418 total yards (341 rush, 77 pass). Veskrna: 39 carries, 260 yards, 3 TD. Mueller: 75 rushing yards, 55-yard TD. Knutson: 77 passing yards; rushing TD.
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Sioux Falls Lincoln: 416 total yards (172 rush, 244 pass). Schafer: 382 total yards, 4 TD (2 rush, 2 pass). Akossi: 8 catches, 66 yards, TD. DeGroot: 72 receiving yards.
Awards
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Joe Robbie MVP: Levi Veskrna, Brandon Valley
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Outstanding Back: Levi Veskrna, Brandon Valley
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Outstanding Lineman: Hudson Parliament, Brandon Valley