Mitchell Kernels football earned its first win of the season on Friday with a 35-28 Homecoming victory vs. #5 Spearfish behind four touchdowns from Parker Denne.
Denne’s fourth score of the night was an 87-yard interception return for a touchdown from Spearfish QB Seth Hamilton with just over four minutes left in the fourth quarter to break a 28-28 tie.
Hamilton fumbled the first snap of the game on offense, which allowed the Kernels to take their first lead of the season after a two-yard touchdown run from Denne to make it 7-0 midway through the first quarter.
On the Spartans second offensive snap, Hamilton would throw the first of four interceptions on the night. That would set up the Kernels first passing touchdown of the season, a 12-yard TD from RB Mick Dailey to Tyson Sabers to make it 14-0 Mitchell at the end of the first quarter.
Spearfish would answer with two touchdowns in the second quarter before Denne took a screen pass 78 yards to the end zone of the first play of the drive with less than two minutes to go in the second quarter to give the Kernels a 21-14 halftime lead.
Both teams would score on their first possessions of the second half, including an eight yard touchdown run from Denne, his third of the night.
Dailey led the Kernels with a season-high 91 rushing yards, while junior QB TJ Jellis was 5-of-8 passing for 93 yards and a touchdown.
For Spearfish, Hamilton threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns, but was just 16-of-42 on the night in front of a tough Mitchell secondary.
Mitchell (1-5) is on the road next week at #4 Watertown. The KORN News Radio pregame show starts at 6:30 pm with kickoff at 7 pm.
Reaction to the Action from Mitchell head coach Pat Larson