WATERTOWN, S.D. — It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks for the Watertown Arrow football team.
The recent stretch began with a test on Sept. 18, when Watertown hosted top-ranked Pierre at Allen Mitchell Field. The Governors showed why they are the favorite to claim another state championship, delivering a 55-14 setback to the Arrows.
Pierre piled up 441 yards of total offense, propelled by quarterback Jarren Deal going 16-for-20 through the air for 224 yards and two touchdowns while adding 130 rushing yards and a score on just nine carries.
Watertown’s offense struggled to find a rhythm against the Governors’ defense. Quarterback Kaeden Himmerich was held to 72 passing yards and an interception, while the Arrows managed just 97 yards on the ground. Lincoln Schutt led the rushing attack with 46 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Watertown’s only other points came via special teams on a Gage Robinson punt return touchdown.
Defensively, Schutt, Tyson Miller, and Jayden Ross anchored the Arrows with seven tackles apiece.
The script flipped dramatically seven days later when Watertown traveled to face No. 3 Yankton for the Bucks’ homecoming.
The Arrows put together a complete performance, storming out to a 42-0 lead through three quarters before cruising to a 42-14 victory.
Himmerich was near-flawless, completing 17 of 22 passes for 237 yards and four touchdowns. He connected with Kulter Swenson three times in the first half for scores—from 10, 32, and 8 yards out—and added a 15-yard touchdown strike to Gavin Robison in the second quarter.
Watertown’s ground game complemented the passing attack with 164 rushing yards, led by Miller, who racked up 117 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Schutt added 43 yards on the ground as the Arrows finished with 401 yards of total offense.
The Watertown defense held Yankton scoreless until late in the fourth quarter when Bucks quarterback Jackson Kudera threw a pair of touchdown passes to Miles Drotzmann and Will Sager to break the shutout. Max Stroup and Charles Whitting led the Arrows defense with four tackles each, with Whitting also contributing a half-sack. Kudera finished 13-of-23 for 221 yards in the loss.
The fourth-ranked Arrows now sit at 3-2 on the season as they prepare for a Friday night homecoming showdown against Mitchell.
