SIOUX FALLS – Aberdeen Central began the night on a high note, recovering a Sioux Falls Lincoln fumble on the opening kickoff, but it was nearly all Patriots the rest of the way, as the top-rated squad in 11AAA rolled to a 55-7 win over the Golden Eagles Thursday night in the regular season finale at Howard Wood Field.

Lincoln recovered from that opening gaffe to stifle the Golden Eagles. Patriot quarterback Tate Schafer threw two touchdown passes in that first quarter, and Lincoln rolled up three rushing TD’s in the second to take a commanding 34-0 lead at the half.

“Lincoln is pretty good,” said Central coach Justin Briese, “but we didn’t play our best ball, either.”

Briese noted some penalties, blown coverages and some mental mistakes that put the Golden Eagles in a bind.

Central did create some scoring chances for itself, including a first-and-goal situation inside the Lincoln 5-yard line after a long Avery Ligon run. 

But the Golden Eagles were unable to capitalize, turning the ball over on downs. A second-half opportunity also presented itself after Cooper Eisenbeisz hauled in a 43-yard pass from Parker Lemer that put Central in scoring position.

“When you get the ball in that position and make a big play and end up in the red zone, it’s frustrating,” Briese said. “It gets tricky when you shrink the size of the field and there’s not as many holes or as many gaps. … But it’s frustrating to get down to the goal line and not finish it off.”

Central’s lone touchdown came early in the third quarter on Joey Dallman’s first touchdown of the season, a 10-yard scamper that put the Golden Eagles on the board.

Ligon finished his night with 175 yards on the ground. 

“He runs hard. The boys up front do a good job for him,” Briese said. “Need to find that a little more consistently with guys holding their blocks. … Sometimes when you play defenses like Lincoln’s, it’s hard to find holes.”

Lemer completed two passes on the night, both to Eisenbeisz, for 54 yards.

Lincoln, meanwhile, added three more touchdowns in the second half, including a defensive score on a fumble recovery in the end zone in the third quarter.

Central will turn its attention to postseason play next week. The Golden Eagles (4-5) will play at Watertown on Thursday night.

“I told the guys in the locker room, hey, starting now, everyone is 0-0 and we’re in the playoffs,” Briese said. “We’ll take this game and learn from it and move on.”

Aberdeen Central (4-5) 0 0 7 0 – 7

Sioux Falls Lincoln (9-0) 13 21 14 7 – 55

First Quarter

SFL – Jack Smith 23 pass from Tate Schafer (kick blocked).

SFL – Isaac Jarovski 12 pass from Schafer (Schafer kick).

Second Quarter

SFL – Josh Myers 6 run (Schafer kick).

SFL – Myers 3 run (Schafer kick).

SFL – Ralph Williams 1 run (Schafer kick).

Third Quarter

AC – Joey Dallman 10 run (kick good).

SFL – Smith 13 pass from Schafer (Schafer kick).

SFL – Taylor Quinn 0 fumble rec. (Schafer kick).

Fourth Quarter

SFL – Blaise Showers 1 run (Schafer kick).

OFFENSE: Aberdeen Central rushing 31-178 (Ligon 175); passing 2-17-0 for 54 (Lemer 2-17-0 for 54); receiving (Cooper Eisenbeisz 2-54). Sioux Falls Lincoln rushing 30-169 (Myers 11-78, Ralph Williams 9-41); passing 19-24-1 for 336 (Schafer 18-23-1 for 321); receiving (Smith 10-240).