SPEARFISH, S.D. — Thomas and Graham Hughes combined for 315 rushing yards, and the Spearfish defense came up with three fourth-down stops as the Spartans beat Aberdeen Central 28-20 on senior night Saturday at Lyle Hare Stadium.
Spearfish improved to 5-3 with the win.
Thomas Hughes accounted for three touchdowns and 265 yards of offense. The senior quarterback rushed for 146 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and completed 4 of 9 passes for 119 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Graham Hughes led all rushers with 169 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.
The Golden Eagles struck first. Thomas Hughes’ first pass of the game was intercepted, and a facemask penalty moved Aberdeen Central to the Spearfish 13-yard line. The Golden Eagles cashed in for a 7-0 lead.
Spearfish answered with a drive powered on the ground. Thomas Hughes ripped off runs of 15, 15 and 11 yards, then found Kade Vavruska for a 27-yard completion to set up a scoring chance. Hughes hit Vavruska from 8 yards out to tie the game at 7 with 1:33 left in the first quarter. Vavruska finished with two catches for 35 yards and a touchdown.
The Spartans defense then came up with its first big stop. After Karsen Seyer made three straight tackles, Drew Durdall stopped a Golden Eagles ballcarrier on fourth-and-4 to give Spearfish the ball back.
A couple of plays later, Thomas Hughes escaped a sack and threw a jump ball to Seyer, who came down with it, broke a tackle and went the distance for a 75-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead.
Aberdeen Central tied the game with one second left in the first half, sending the teams to the locker room even at 14.
The third quarter opened with Payton Jones taking over on defense. Jones made three tackles on the Golden Eagles’ first possession, including one for a loss, and finished with a team-high eight tackles.
Spearfish lost a fumble on its first drive of the half when Graham Hughes was stripped after a 9-yard catch, but the defense held again. Graham Hughes broke up a pass deep in Spartan territory, and Brayden Moser followed with a tackle for loss on fourth down to turn the Golden Eagles away.
After Easton Walters added a tackle for loss, Thomas Hughes intercepted a pass on defense. Three plays later, Graham Hughes broke loose for a 59-yard touchdown run with 39 seconds left in the third quarter, putting Spearfish ahead 21-14.
The Spartans pushed the lead to two scores in the fourth quarter. Graham Hughes carried four times for 52 yards on the drive, including a 24-yard run, and Thomas Hughes finished it with a 10-yard touchdown run for a 28-14 advantage.
Luke Poling made a touchdown-saving tackle on the ensuing kickoff. On the next play, Jack Scharf sacked the Golden Eagles quarterback, and Keller Vega followed with another sack. Thomas Hughes then made a tackle on fourth down for a turnover on downs.
Aberdeen Central recovered a Spearfish fumble on the next possession and scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass with 1:32 remaining to make it 28-20. Spearfish ran out the clock from there, with Thomas Hughes picking up 22 yards on a run before two kneel-downs ended the game.
Scharf led the defensive front with seven tackles, including a sack. Moser had six tackles and a tackle for loss, Vega had five tackles and a sack, and Seyer added five tackles and a pass breakup. Ziah Torpy had four tackles, including one for a loss, and Ethan Foote had three tackles, including one for a loss.
Spearfish individual statistics
Passing: Thomas Hughes 4-9, 119 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT.
Rushing: Graham Hughes 17-169, 1 TD; Thomas Hughes 15-146, 1 TD.
Receiving: Karsen Seyer 1-75, 1 TD; Kade Vavruska 2-35, 1 TD; Graham Hughes 1-9.
Defense: Payton Jones 8 tackles, 1 TFL; Jack Scharf 7 tackles, 1 sack; Brayden Moser 6 tackles, 1 TFL; Keller Vega 5 tackles, 1 sack; Karsen Seyer 5 tackles, 1 PBU; Ziah Torpy 4 tackles, 1 TFL; Ethan Foote 3 tackles, 1 TFL; Thomas Hughes 2 tackles, 1 INT; Drew Durdall 2 tackles; Thomas Solvie 2 tackles; Graham Hughes 1 tackle, 1 PBU; Easton Walters 1 TFL; Shawn August, Blake Andress, Luke Poling and Kade Vavruska 1 tackle each.
Scoring summary
First quarter: AC — TD following interception, 7-0. SPF — Vavruska 8-yard pass from T. Hughes, 1:33, 7-7.
Second quarter: SPF — Seyer 75-yard pass from T. Hughes, 14-7. AC — TD, 0:01, 14-14.
Third quarter: SPF — G. Hughes 59-yard run, 0:39, 21-14.
Fourth quarter: SPF — T. Hughes 10-yard run, 28-14. AC — 25-yard TD pass, 1:32, 28-20.