Graham’s Kickoff Return Helps DeWitt Secure First Victory
DeWitt 37, Helena Central 18
HELENA — Landyn Graham returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and Kaden Pippinger threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Rae Frye as DeWitt defeated Helena Central 37-18 Friday for its first victory.
DeWitt scored on its opening possession and led 6-0 after one quarter. Two second-quarter touchdowns and successful two-point conversions pushed the lead to 22-0 with 1:01 remaining before halftime. The Dragons accumulated 216 first-half yards, according to the broadcast’s unofficial statistics.
Central reached DeWitt’s 22 on its opening possession after halftime, but the Dragons forced an incompletion on fourth-and-19. DeWitt later recovered a fumble at its 23 with 5:04 remaining in the third quarter.
The Cougars scored on a 15-yard run by their No. 3 with 3:15 left. DeWitt stopped the two-point run, keeping the score 22-6.
Graham answered on the ensuing kickoff, cutting outside and extending the ball across the goal line. Gaspar Lemus’ extra point made it 29-6 with 2:59 remaining.
Central responded with a 33-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Camron Mitchell deflected the two-point pass, preserving a 29-12 lead.
The Cougars forced a punt and again advanced inside DeWitt’s 30. Connor Mills broke up a third-down pass before Xa Cox’s tackle on fourth-and-7 ended the possession.
Pippinger completed a first-down pass to Layden Burns on the next series, and Noah Fisher’s run reached Central’s 30. Pippinger found Frye for a touchdown with 7:09 left. Kaiden Golden’s two-point run extended the lead to 37-12.
Angel Vega’s third-down tackle helped force another fourth-down stop. Central stopped DeWitt on fourth down with 3:57 remaining. A fourth-down completion to the 1 set up a touchdown pass with 1:17 left.
Mills deflected the conversion pass. DeWitt secured the ensuing kickoff and finished with a kneeldown.
DeWitt improved to 1-2 and enter their open week before conference play.
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
DeWitt – Opening-possession touchdown (kick failed), DeWitt 6-0.
2nd Quarter
DeWitt – Touchdown, (two-point conversion good), DeWitt 14-0.
DeWitt – Touchdown, (two-point run good), 1:01, DeWitt 22-0.
3rd Quarter
Helena Central – No. 3, 15-yard run (two-point run failed), 3:15, DeWitt 22-6.
DeWitt – Landyn Graham kickoff return (Gaspar Lemus kick), 2:59, DeWitt 29-6.
4th Quarter
Helena Central – 33-yard run,(two-point pass incomplete), DeWitt 29-12.
DeWitt – Rae Frye touchdown pass from Kaden Pippinger (Kaiden Golden run), 7:09, DeWitt 37-12.
Helena Central – 1-yard touchdown pass, (two-point pass incomplete), 1:17, DeWitt 37-18.
Players Who Stood Out
Landyn Graham, DeWitt running back/returner: Returned the kickoff immediately following Central’s first touchdown for a touchdown with 2:59 remaining in the third quarter. The return and extra point extended the lead from 22-6 to 29-6.
Kaden Pippinger, DeWitt quarterback: Threw the fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Frye and completed a first-down pass to Burns earlier in that possession. Also batted down a pass late in the first quarter.
Rae Frye, DeWitt receiver: Caught Pippinger’s touchdown pass with 7:09 remaining, finishing the possession following Cox’s fourth-down stop. The touchdown and conversion extended DeWitt’s lead to 37-12.
Xa Cox, DeWitt receiver/defensive back: Made the fourth-and-7 quarterback stop that gave DeWitt possession before its final touchdown. Also made tackles on consecutive completions during Central’s final scoring drive.
Connor Mills, DeWitt running back/defensive back: Broke up a third-and-7 pass with DeWitt protecting a 29-12 lead. Deflected Central’s final two-point conversion pass and made tackles on consecutive completions during that scoring drive.