Tea, S.D. – The Spearfish Spartans opened their season on the road Friday night with a tale of two halves. After spotting Tea Area 22 points in the first half, the Spartans fought back with 14 unanswered in the second but came up just short, falling 22-14.
Very little went Spearfish’s way early. The Titans built their 22-0 halftime lead behind explosive plays from quarterback Blake Gabbert and running back Brenner Konrad. Gabbert broke loose for a 60-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, while Konrad added a pair of 21-yard touchdown runs in the second.
The Spartans finally found a spark in the third quarter. Running back Mick Bosh broke loose for a short gain before the ball popped free. Teammate Kade Vavruska scooped it up and raced 67 yards to the end zone for Spearfish’s first points of the season.
In the fourth, quarterback Thomas Hughes connected with Vavruska on a 12-yard touchdown strike. Hughes then found Vavruska again for the two-point conversion to pull within one score at 22-14. Vavruska finished with six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown, along with the 67-yard fumble return.
Spearfish nearly pulled off the comeback in the final minutes. With just over four minutes left, Hughes delivered a perfect 20-yard sideline strike to Karson Seyer on 4th-and-17, keeping the drive alive. Vavruska then added a juggling 19-yard grab after the ball ricocheted off another Spartan receiver. But the rally stalled in Titan territory, sealing the defeat.
Hughes went 10-for-16 passing for 109 yards and a touchdown, adding 20 rushing yards. He also contributed six tackles and an interception return on defense. Seyer had two catches for 28 yards and six tackles, while Bosh chipped in 25 rushing yards and six tackles. Defensively, Brock Lewis led the team with 13 total tackles, and Samuel Marcus added a sack.
Despite the slow start, the Spartans showed grit and playmaking in the second half. Head coach Tom Tieszen’s team will look to build on that momentum when they return home next week to face the Rapid City Central Cobblers in their home opener.