RAPID CITY - Spearfish rode Jordan Johnson's 261 total yards and two touchdowns to a 22-14 win over Rapid City Central in the Rushmore Bowl opener Saturday night.
The 5-8 junior back was the go-to guy all night for the Spartans, rushing for 206 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries, and grabbing five passes for another 55 yards, including a 22-yard scoring strike from quarterback Clint Masters.
"Jordan does a good job of running the ball," said Spearfish coach Chuck Syverson. "Of course he'd be the first one to tell you that all the credit goes to his line up front.
"They opened up some nice holes for him. Nick Bierschenk did a nice job at fullback up front to open up holes and give him places to run," Syverson said.
Spearfish struck first on a seven-play, 57-yard march in the first quarter. Johnson found the left corner of the end zone after hauling in a Masters pass tipped by Central's Gabe Palmer.
Spearfish kicker Kyle Martens became ill early in the game and was unable to play. Johnson's first point-after kick failed, but the Spartans were able to convert on two-point attempts the rest of the way.
Central got on the board late in the first half with a 51-yard drive highlighted by a 25 yard pass from quarterback Chapman Ham to Jesse Holz and a 13-yard run by Derek Hientz.
Tyler Schulke capped the march with a 4-yard run with 1:59 left in the half, and Alan Genzlinger's kick gave Central its only lead of the game at 7-6 at the half.
As in last week's 16-0 loss to Sturgis, the turnover bug bit Central against Spearfish.
The Spartans cashed in on two fumbles and a pair of interceptions.
"The last two weeks we gotten the benefit of turnovers and we've been able to take care of the ball," said Syverson. "Turnovers will cost you a game or win you a game."
The first miscue, a mishandled Cobbler option pitch deep in Cobbler territory, was recovered by the Spartans' Mitch Bradley.
Masters scored two plays later on a 1-yard keeper.
Spearfish's Tony Garcia fell on another loose ball, this time the result of a hard hit on Schulte at the Cobbler 15-yard line. Johnson found paydirt on the next snap
"Turnover after turnover, it doesn't matter who you're playing you just can't give other teams the opportunities that we're giving them and expect to be successful," said Central coach Trent Pikula.
"We're in the right places. We just didn't make the plays."
The Cobblers closed out the scoring in the fourth quarter with a 42-yard pass from Jordan McArthur to Joe Phillipe. McArthur and Ham shared signal-caller duties for Central.
"Jordan's a good quarterback and Chap's a lot better than what he's been showing," Pikula said.
"We just want to get someone on the field that'll make a play," he said. "We're not making the right reads right now."
Central, 0-3 overall, 0-2 in the Greater Dakota Conference, travels to Sioux Falls Lincoln for another GDC contest on Sept. 14. Spearfish, 2-1 overall and 2-0 in the GDC, hosts defending Class 11AA champion Sioux Falls on Sept. 14 at Lyle Hare Stadium.
