By Kerri Rempp
Sioux County Schools PIO
The Warriors six-man season opener was cut short by thunderstorms, with Paxton earning a 49-6 win over Sioux County in two quarters of action.
The away contest started well for the Warriors with Chisum Pelster scoring his first high school touchdown a minute and a half into the game to put Sioux County ahead 6-0.
Pelster jogged in from five yards out for the score.
However, Paxton controlled the rest of the game, tying it at six 24 seconds after Pelster’s goal on a 21-yard run by Tyler Markussen. They took the lead on a safety a few seconds later and scored again on a 57-yard kick return by Tristan Connick.
Markussen and Chase Holm each went more than 20 yards for touchdowns before the first quarter ended; Holm’s score came after an interception and put Paxton on top 29-6.
Markussen found the end zone one more time in the second quarter, and Keegan Florom connected with Holm and Connick through the air before the game was called.
Paxton rushed for 152 yards and threw for 67 yards, completing four first downs.
Taylen Lambert caught 4-of-seven passes for 35 yards to lead the Warriors in receptions, followed by Pelster’s lone 31-yard catch and Hunter Hughes with 3-of-4 for 28. Ross Boyd caught one of two passes for nine yards.
Pelster completed 9-of-16 throws for 72 yards and one interception. He also rushed for 60 yards on seven carries for one touchdown in the first quarter before posting a negative rushing total in the second quarter, also on seven carries for 51 total yards in the game.
Boyd connected on a 31-yard toss and rushed only once for -2 yards. Lambert rushed four times for a total of two yards after a loss of eight in the first quarter.
As a team, the Warriors had three interceptions and a fumble.