’Cats drop ’Diggers for homecoming win

For most of the last three games, the Custer High School football team’s offense has been stuck in neutral, with the offensive line shouldering much of the blame for the team’s inability to move the ball.
That wasn’t the case last Friday night, however, as Custer players and head coach Russ Evans were singing the offensive line’s praises as it dominated the line of scrimmage throughout the course of Custer’s 21-7 win over the visiting Lead-Deadwood Golddiggers. The Wildcat line cleared the way for 236 yards rushing in propelling the ’Cats to the homecoming win. The win was the team’s first of the season.
“I could see the focus in their eyes coming out tonight,” Evans said of his offensive line. “They knew they had to step up. I think some of the things we did as far as offense, it helped them get confidence. I’m proud of those guys hanging in there and coming through.”
The teams exchanged punts for the first four possessions of the game before the Wildcats got on the board late in the first quarter by mounting a 37-yard drive that ended when quarterback Roland Sedlacek kept the shotgun snap and raced up the middle of the ’Digger defense for a score from five yards out.
While the Custer offensive line was dominating, the same could be said for the defensive line and defense in general, as after Lead-Deadwood got the ball deep in Custer territory when a short Golddigger punt hit a Wildcat in the back and the ’Diggers pounced on the live ball, the Wildcat defense stood tall, turning away the ’Diggers on the four-inch line on a fourth down play.
“That’s the kind of defense I dream about,” Evans said. “We saw on film what they were going to do. We prepared for it all week. It was second nature. We talked all week about being aggressive, pursuing to the football.”
“We had a pretty good idea of what they were doing,” Sedlacek, a senior safety, said. “We planned really well and we were ready. We read them like a book.”
The game went to the half tied at seven, and Lead-Deadwood tied the score in the third quarter when it drove 50 yards for a score, with Peyton Percy finding Canon Rogers from four yards out for a touchdown.
Custer answered right back, however, as the Wildcats took the next possession and marched 64 yards for a score, capped by a two-yard run by Danny Immormino. Immormino was the largest beneficiary of the offensive line’s great night, as he racked up 188 yards rushing on 27 carries, good for a seven yard-per-carry average.
“We decided we were going to put a couple of lead blockers in there. He brought into that and it made a difference and he just ran hard,” Evans said of Immormino. “We have been working with him about what he is capable of doing and planting those positive seeds in his head, and it showed.”
The Wildcats’ final touchdown came after a Lead punt of only seven yards gave the team outstanding field position at the Lead-Deadwood 36 with 6:47 remaining in the game. It didn’t take long before the ’Cats were in the end zone, this time with Sedlacek sneaking in from a yard out.
Lead-Deadwood’s final possession ended on a Brady Virtue interception, as he crossed the field to pick off a Drew Janke heave, largely forced by good pressure from the Wildcat defensive line and linebackers. Earlier in the same possession Leighton Sander and Tyrin Scott blitzed to combine for a sack. Scott led the team in tackles in the game with 10.
“It feels awesome. It’s the first homecoming win everybody on this team has had in Custer,” said senior tight end/defensive end Kyle Virtue, who like Sedlacek is one of four captains on the team. “I think everyone believes in each other on our team. That’s really all we need.”
Sedlacek said the team came in knowing it could win the game, and that confidence played a key role in the win.
“We came out and punched them in the mouth,” he said. “Our football team has been a laughingstock to everyone. We are trying to do something new and build something.”
Virtue agreed the team feeds off the confidence it gains from a strong start.
“When we score a touchdown at the beginning, everyone is excited. Everyone wants to be here versus when the other team scores first and everyone’s head drops,” he  said.
As for Evans, he picked up his first win as a head coach, but said he was more happy for his players than for himself.
“It feels great. We slid the last three games. We are getting people back, getting people in positions where they need to be and we are getting healthy,” he said. “The hard work and overcoming adversity is what I’m proudest of. We didn’t give up, didn’t give in, and kept battling. They kept working and we saw that tonight.”
Virtue and Sedlacek said they were happy to give their head coach his first win.
“For how much time he has put in and dedicated, he deserves it,” Sedlacek said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for him.”
Sedlacek finished the game completing five of 13 passing attempts for 56 yards. Two of those completions were to Brady Virtue for 30 yards. Kyle Virtue added 19 yards on a pair of receptions.
Along with Scott, other tackle leaders were Lincoln Golder and Sander with seven each.
Kicker Kiran Pesicka was successful in all three of her point-after attempts.
The Wildcats now turn their attention to their rivals to the south, the Hot Springs Bison, for the Southern Hills Showdown Friday evening at 6 p.m. in Hot Springs.
The Bison, defending Class B state champions, are 3-3 on the season, and are coming off a lopsided 45-7 defeat at the hands of the Rapid City Christian Comets last weekend. The Bison and Wildcats have played one common opponent so far this year, with the Bison defeating the Golddiggers 12-0 Sept. 13.
“They lost a lot of good players, but it’s a rivalry,” Kyle Virtue said. “Both teams will be ready to play.”
Evans said the Wildcats would enjoy their first win of the season but get back to work Monday on preparing for the Bison.
“Hopefully this momentum will continue to grow and the confidence will continue to grow,” he said.