Jake Weiss is back, and so are the Roosevelt Rough Riders.

The senior quarterback, who missed two starts after a head-neck injury, rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown in leading the Riders

(5-2 overall) to a 35-7 win over Rapid City Central on Friday night at Howard Wood Field.

The Riders were coming off a lackluster 6-0 win over Sturgis, so they were perhaps energized by the return of the 6-foot-3 dual threat. And it was an emotional night for Weiss, who revealed that the injury had been one of the scariest moments of his life.

"I was basically temporarily paralyzed," Weiss said. "I tried to reach up to take off my helmet, but my arms wouldn't move. It was really scary. I was like, this is it. I didn't know if I'd ever play again."

Weiss' fears turned out to be mostly just that. He could probably have played last week, but the Riders played it safe.

"You never know how much fun football is and how lucky you are to be able to play until something like that happens to you," he said. "So I was just so thankful to be out here again tonight. I'm very lucky."

Weiss showed no ill effects, other than maybe getting winded a little easier from the time off. And he certainly wasn't gun-shy, almost always choosing to keep the ball when running the option. He endured plenty of contact.

"I think he really wanted to prove to himself that he was ready to play," said Rider coach Brent DeBoer, whose team rushed for 263 yards on the night. "He did a good job. I think he just needed to play."

Roosevelt jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter on three scores that couldn't have come much easier.

Ross Peterson returned an interception 33 yards to the 1-yard line, setting up a scoring plunge for Jordan Hermanson, making it 7-0. Brock Bills then returned a punt 64 yards for a touchdown, and Weiss hit pay dirt from four yards out after the Riders blocked a punt to set them up 1st and goal at the four.

Bills scored again from three yards out in the second, before Kolby Kyle took a lateral from Weiss and weaved his way through traffic for a 19-yard touchdown that capped the scoring.