GRANITE FALLS -- Yellow Medicine East stayed in a tie for the lead in the West Central South Conference football title Friday with a 15-6 win over Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City.
The Sting are tied with Morris at 5-1 in conference action. YME (5-2) can clinch at least a tie for the title Wednesday with a win over Lac qui Parle Valley.
Morris (5-1, 5-2) plays at ACGC (4-2, 5-2) on Wednesday (4-2, 5-2).
YME at ACGC both struggled offensively from the start.
On the first play from scrimmage, ACGC quarterback saw his pass bounce out of his receiver's hands and into a Sting defender's. Again in the first quarter, the Sting fell upon a Falcon fumble. Neither time could YME capitalize.
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It took a safety in the second quarter to get the Sting going. Casey Luepke broke into the Falcon backfield, tackling Nic Leither in the end zone.
On the next Sting possession, YME broke off a 30-yard touchdown run from Kyle Gaffaney.
ACGC's final drive of the half screeched to a halt after its third turnover. This time, the Sting took advantage.
With 27 seconds left in the half, Sting quarterback Shawn Neu hit Dylan Hempel for a 25-yard touchdown and a 15-0 halftime lead.
The Falcons scored in the third quarter on Leither's six-yard catch from Schroeder.
YME 15, ACGC 6
ACGC (4-2, 5-2)..................................0 0 6 0 -- 6
YME (5-1, 5-2)...................................0 15 0 0 -- 15
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YME - safety, tackle by Casey Luepke
YME - Kyle Gaffaney 30 run (Dan Johnson kick)
YME - Dylan Hempel 25 pass from Shawn Neu (point failed)
ACGC - Nic Leither 6 pass Justin Schroeder (point failed)
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City
Team statistics
First downs: 14 ... Rushing: not available ... Passing (com-att-yds-int.): not available ... Fumbles lost: not available ... Penalties: 3-15
Individual statistics
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Not available
Yellow Medicine East
Team statistics
First downs: 3 ... Rushing: 31-64 ... Passing (com-att-yds-int.): 6-15-69-0 ... Fumbles lost: 0 ... Penalties: 5-45
Individual statistics
Rushing: Jerret Berg 9-2, Kyle Gaffaney 6-39, Neu 7-14, Joey Hegland 6-7 ... Passing: Neu 6-15-69-0 ... Receiving: Kenton Johnson 2-13, Gaffaney 1-5, Berg 1-9, Hempel 2-42 ... Punting: Andrew Walters 11-30.64 ... Interceptions: Gaffaney 1, Hempel 2 ... Fumble recoveries: Brad Hildahl 1 ... Tackles (solo-assist): Gaffaney 6-5, Martin Hagen 8-2, Hempel 4-1, Dan Johnson 4-1 ... QB sacks: Gaffaney 1, Casey Luepke 1
