Rangers tame the tigers

The Hill City Rangers football team is undefeated three games into its 2025-26 season. Hill City (3-0) roared past the Dupree Tigers (1-2) at home  Sept. 5, with a resounding 51-0 win.

The penalties began early in the game with a false start against Dupree on the opening kickoff where senior Caleb Sobolik took the ball to midfield. 

A first and 10 for Hill City became a quick first  and 20 after a Rangers holding penalty. It was tense in the stands until the next play when senior Nick Schroeder cruised past the Tigers’ defense with a 15- yard run. This was followed by the familiar completion combination from quarterback Brensen Veneklasen to Zane Messick and the first points of the game with 11:06 left in the first quarter. 

Dupree fumbled on its first possession but recovered the ball. The team managed to get a first down, but the Rangers defense had no problem keeping the Tigers at bay, setting up a fourth and 10 and forcing a Tigers punt with 8:41 left in the first. Sobolick again was able to get the offense good field position, which set up a left side run by senior Mason Wiese, scoring the Rangers another six points and giving the team a 14-0 lead with 7:41 left in the first. 

The Tigers second possession of the game would pan out the same, with a series of penalties on each team and another punt with 5:44 left in the first. 

Early in the Hill City drive the Rangers fumbled the ball with the Tigers recovering. But an inadvertent whistle on the play forced the ball back into the hands of the Rangers. Hill City head football coach Brett Eckert explained the unusual call. 

“If there is an inadvertent whistle during the play, the play is dead and doesn’t count. So anything that happened during that play doesn’t count, and they replay the down,” he said.

Veneklasen completed to Messick, who fumbled the ball right into the hands of Dupree’s Ricco Swallow. The Tigers took possession and despite great defensive play by the Rangers and another Dupree penalty, managed to bring the ball into Rangers territory as the first quarter came to a close. 

As the second quarter  began the Rangers defense started to come alive with junior Karson Kolb stopping Dupree on a fourth and four attempt. 

The Rangers took over on the 47 yard line, and once again Sobolick ran long, taking Hill City to the 30. Veneklasen kept the ball and ran long, setting up a first and goal. 

The Rangers fumbled again, this time recovering it, but an incomplete pass to Messick forced the Rangers to set up for a field goal. However, the snap rolled back to the holder, Eckert said, which forced a running play to carrier Messick versus the field goal attempt. 

The Tigers defense denied Messick entry into the end zone giving them possession once again.

Dupree tried to move the ball again but was unable to get far, as the Rangers defense continued to tame the Tigers. Veneklasen would score the next touchdown with 8:06 left in quarter two. 

The Rangers defense continued to pressure the Tigers, and with 6:05 left in the half sophomore Cory Ronish gave Hill City two more points with a safety.

Despite two fumbles on Hill City’s next possession Kolb would score the next Rangers touchdown, and by the end of the first half, the Rangers were up by 44. 

Eckert acknowledged the Rangers played some sloppy football offensively  despite the win. 

“Honestly, it can be frustrating for us as a team because you must take care of the football,” he said. “Especially when you are against good teams.  Making those errors must be cleaned up if you desire to play in the postseason. I attribute those mistakes and turnovers to primarily a lack of detail to attention. I know we will get better at the small things, and we are excited for a nice win, but those are things we must improve upon.”

Still the Rangers offense  was able to run all over the Tigers with 223 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

Defensively, the team continues to “stress playing fast, playing disciplined and playing physical. When you do those things, your defense has a better chance at creating mistakes,” Eckert said. The Rangers defense held Dupree to a mere 23 rushing yards and 36 passing yards. 

Hill City now faces the Harding County Bison (2-1), fresh off a win against New Underwood. Eckert noted that “Harding County is playing really good football right now. They are known as a good football program with a lot of tradition.” He expects a good game for fans to watch. 

“We will need to play well and be executing at a high level in order to have a good game against them.”

Kickoff is at 6 p.m.  Sept. 12 at Ranger Field.