VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) — Austyn Modrzewski threw three touchdown passes, Charles Pierre Jr. ran for two and Tennel Bryant had two scoring receptions as South Dakota rolled past Eastern Washington 41-23 on Saturday.
South Dakota led 17-3 at halftime with a 287-113 difference in total yards. Most importantly, after the Eagles cut it to 10-3 with 51 seconds left in the second quarter, Modrzewski hit Tennel Bryant deep over the middle on a third-and-10 for a 66-yard score with 26 seconds remaining in the half.
Pierre, who surpassed 2,000 career yards rushing, then broke loose for a 72-yard score to open the second half. After a quick three-and-out, Modrzewski found Bryant over the middle for a 48-yard score and a 31-3 lead.
Modrzewski was 16 of 24 for 245 yards and an interception, Pierre carried 15 times for 138 yards and Bryant had 120 yards on three receptions. The Coyotes, ranked No. 11 in the Stats Perform FCS Top25, had seven plays of 20-plus yards, giving them 23 for the season, adding three touchdowns for a total of 11 on explosive plays.
Nate Bell threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns for Eastern Washington (1-2).

#three

The first goalie to ever play for the Utah Hockey Club is hanging up his pads for good.
Connor Ingram announced his retirement via Instagram Friday evening with a simple, yet profound caption: "Don't be sad it's over, be happy it happened. Thanks hockey, I owe ya."
The post included photos of him with the Edmonton Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning — four of the five organizations in which he played.
Ingram, 29, skated in 134 regular-season NHL games, including 22 for Utah. He also saw nine games' worth of playoff action, most recently with the Oilers in their 2026 first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks.
One of the most heroic moment of Ingram's career came just five games into it.

#ingram

Former Arizona Coyotes fans can perhaps find something positive about the NHL's potential expansion plan, but no guarantees.
The league's deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, said on Thursday, Sept. 8, that the league is in further discussions to add three teams from its current 32. Possibilities include Arizona, Atlanta and a team in Houston or Austin, Texas. ESPN first reported the news.
The Coyotes were sold by owner Alex Meruelo and relocated to become the Utah Mammoth.
"I don't think we ever soured on Phoenix as a market," Daly said at the NHL and National Hockey League Player ***** ociation (NHLPA) player media tour in Las Vegas. "I think our issue in Phoenix was the location of the building. It's always the location of the building.
"I think with the right location, we collectively believe that Phoenix would be a great market."

#building

For the third consecutive week, at least one player from the Weatherford College volleyball team has earned Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors.
Mirabel Onyegwu was named the NTJCAC Offensive Player of the Week, while Alena Lopez earned the Defensive Player of the Week award.
Onyegwu and Lopez are the third and fourth Coyotes to earn the honor this season, joining teammates Glorybell Puente (defensive, Week 1) and Beline Thibaut (offensive, Weeks 1 and 2).
Onyegwu, an outside hitter from Nigeria, played in 19 sets for WC last week. She recorded 65 kills on 161 attacks, averaging 3.4 kills and 3.5 points per set. She also logged 63 digs and 12 block ******* ists.
Lopez, a libero from Saginaw, also appeared in 19 sets for the Coyotes. She charted 68 digs, 21 ******* ists and three aces, averaging four digs per set.

#onyegwu

Aug. 31—ST. LOUIS — USD and SDSU took four of the five player of the week honors in the Missouri Valley Football Conference's opening slate.
Coyotes quarterback Austyn Modrzewski was a no-brainer for offensive player of the week and newcomer of the week after his historic college debut. The freshman from Colorado completed 16-of-20 passes for 304 yards and a school-record-tying six touchdown passes while also rushing for 81 yards including a 68-yard touchdown in USD's 59-20 win over Central Connecticut State on Saturday in Vermillion. He also earned STATS national freshman of the week for his efforts.
A pair of Jackrabbits were also honored, as linebacker Chase Van Tol was named Valley defensive player of the week and tackle Quinten Christensen was given offensive lineman of the week.
Van Tol, a Tea Area product, had two tackles and two fumble recoveries as well as a pass breakup in the Jacks' 70-7 win over Stetson, while Christensen, a senior from Wessington Springs, earned a 95 percent grade with eight knockdowns in 37 offensive snaps against the Hatters.
Illinois State's Hayden Futch was named special teams player of the week after the Redbirds punter averaged 66 yards per kick in their win over Saint Francis.

#christensen

VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) — Austyn Modrzewski set the South Dakota single-game record with six touchdown passes in his first college game and the Coyotes rolled past Central Connecticut 59-20 on Saturday in the season-opener for both teams.
Modrzewski, a redshirt freshman, completed 16 of 20 passes for 304 yards and carried twice for 81 yards, which included another touchdown.
It was Matt Vitzthum's first game as coach of the Coyotes, who are ranked No. 12 in FCS.
South Dakota's Charles Pierre Jr., a Walter Payton Award candidate, returned from an injury that sidelined him for all but the first two games of last season. The senior running back gained 77 yards on 10 carries. Keyondray Jones-Logan caught two passes for 103 yards with one touchdown.
After going three-and-out on their first offensive possession, the Coyotes scored touchdowns on their next eight. Six of them came in the first half, leading to a 42-10 halftime advantage. The onslaught included Modrzewski's 68-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter that was followed by his 61-yard touchdown pass to Jones-Logan on the second play of the Coyotes' next drive.

#modrzewski

VERMILLION, S.D. — The big question of the 2026 offseason for the University of South Dakota Coyotes football team is who would be the starting quarterback in 2026? We finally have that answer as Austyn Modrzewski will be under center in week one.
Monday night on the "Coyote Report" Head Coach Matt Vitzthum made the announcement that the redshirt freshman Modrzewski will be the opening day starter for USD.
Modrzewski did not play a snap last season but stayed on campus to beat out 6th year Northern Illinois University transfer Jackson Proctor as well as senior Nevan Cremascoli.
Coach Vitzthum spoke on his goals for the young QB earlier in fall camp.
"The goal for us is to make Saturdays feel easy. Step one is, we have a great defense. Step two is, can we put him in some settings and some environments that are uncomfortable so he can just go out there and play fast and free on Saturday, so i like where he's at, he's done a nice job," Vitzthum said.

#modrzewski #coach #step #coyotes

It was no accident last year that all four of the state football semifinalists in Class 5A came from the same district.
That league, 2-5A, looks much the same as it did in 2025, with a couple of alterations. Chaparral has moved up from 4A and Alamogordo has dropped from 6A. Those two replace Santa Teresa and Lovington, who both are now 4A members for at least the next two seasons.
As always, the conversation begins (and frequently ends) with rivals Artesia and Roswell, who have met in each of the last three state **** le games. The Bulldogs came from behind to stun the Coyotes 25-24 in last November's final, and this fall, Artesia is chasing its 34th blue trophy.
"It's up to the rest of us to dethrone those two," Gadsden coach Dino Facio said.
Artesia graduated 35 seniors, and 21 starters, so the Bulldogs, who open against rival Carlsbad, are reloading. But they've got another 35 seniors this season.

#last #same #chaparral

Aug. 14—MITCHELL — For Reed Rus, the decision to leave the University of South Dakota and continue his football career at Dakota Wesleyan University was about more than football.
It was about coming home.
Rus, a Mount Vernon native, made the move from the FCS-level Coyotes to the Tigers this spring, bringing three seasons of experience at USD with him to Mitchell. With Mount Vernon less than 13 miles away, the move gives Rus an opportunity to remain close to the community that helped shape him while continuing to play the game he enjoys.
"Coming home was obviously a big part in my decision to come here, but just being around the community and all that fun stuff again has been awesome," Rus said. "My plan was always to come back near Mount Vernon and to Mitchell. I know this was a pretty tight group before I came here, and I just wanted to be a part of the family."
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound linebacker is entering what is technically his senior year of school, but DWU head coach Alex Kretzschmar said Rus actually has four years of eligibility remaining. That combination of experience and remaining eligibility made Rus an attractive addition for the Tigers, who are looking to rebound from a 4-7 season last year, including a 3-7 mark in Great Plains Athletic Conference play.

#mitchell #mount #tigers #decision

Aug. 6—VERMILLION, S.D. — When Nathan Laperi arrived at the University of South Dakota a year ago, his focus was simply to earn a spot, learn a new defense and adjust to life as a transfer.
Now, just one season later, the Plano, Texas, native has entered the Coyotes' preseason football practices carrying a different responsibility. Laperi is no longer simply fighting for playing time. He is being asked to help lead a developing Coyotes defense.
It has been an outstanding rise for a player entering only his second season with the program after transferring from North Texas, where he spent his true freshman season in 2024. Yet within the program, Laperi has become one of the voices teammates lean toward, a role that was reinforced when he represented USD alongside teammate Tysen Boze at Missouri Valley Football Conference Media Day in July.
For a defense replacing several experienced players, particularly along the defensive line, the trust that the coaches have placed in Laperi says as much about his consistency off the field as it does on it.
"I feel a lot more comfortable coming into this year, especially rotating behind two really good players last year in Caden Crawford and Nyle ***** el," Laperi said. "And the biggest thing I have done this offseason is going back and watching some of the games from last year and watching the reps I was in, as well as the reps those two guys were in. Those were two guys that I watched and learned from every day last year."

#simply #program

Jul. 30—VERMILLION, S.D. — Plenty of questions surround the University of South Dakota football's offense as the Coyotes officially opened fall camp Wednesday, July 29.
Who wins the starting quarterback job? Who are the five offensive linemen that will protect him? Which receivers emerge as the top targets? Who becomes the primary tight end?
But through all of the uncertainty, there is one position group that enters camp with absolutely no question marks: Running back.
If anything, the Coyotes may have the deepest and most talented running back room not only in the Missouri Valley Football Conference but across the entire FCS. While the offense develops a new quarterback, rebuilt offensive line and receiving corps, USD's experienced ball carriers are expected to shoulder much of the offensive load early in the season.
"If people are saying we're the best in the country, that just motivates us even more," USD running back Keyondray Jones-Logan said. "We never take a step backwards, and we are always fighting to be better each and every day. If everybody says we could be the best, let's prove we're the best."

#running #offense #camp #quarterback

Texoma's 2026 Nexstar Sports Awards was a night full of glamour and shine as athletes and coaches from around the area were presented with distinguished awards from 21 different categories.
The awards show included five Nexstar Hall of Fame Inductees. Check out the list below.
The Hirschi High School graduate continued his career at Texas Tech University where he helped anchor one of the most dominant offensive lines in Red Raiders history. King garnered numerous accolades during his time at the university inlcuding Texas Tech's Most Valuable Player. King was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame in 2008.
The Wichita Falls High School graduate made history as the first Black quarterback to play for the Coyotes. He led Wichita Falls to back-to-back state championship games in 1969 and 1970. Williams played at Texas Tech and was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1975 and then went to play for the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns.
The 2011 season stands as one of the most remarkable in Texoma history as the Raiders secured a 6-2 victory over Corpus Christi Calallen to win the program's first state championship in school history. At Dell Diamond, the Raiders took an early lead, leaning on timely pitching and flawless defense.

Coming off its first Elite Eight in nearly 40 years, the Iowa basketball program is riding a wave of momentum into the summer. Excitement around the team is as high as ever.
On Tuesday, fans learned one of the opportunities to catch the Hawkeyes at home next season.
Kyle Huesmann of On3 was the first to report that Ben McCollum and the Hawkeyes have scheduled a nonconference date against South Dakota. Just before the calendar flips to 2027, Iowa will welcome the Coyotes into Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Dec. 29.
The Coyotes are members of the Summit League. They went 16-16 last season, including an 8-8 mark in conference play. South Dakota is coached by Eric Peterson, who has a 59-69 record in four seasons with the Coyotes.
South Dakota was ravaged by the transfer portal this offseason, losing three of its top four leading scorers: Isaac Bruns (20.8 points per game), Jordan Crawford (14.4 points per game), and Uzziah Buntyn (12.1 points per game).

The Richland Springs football team, which has been without a coach since February, brought back a familiar face with winning experience to lead the program.
James McIntyre Jr., who was the defensive coordinator during the 2023 season, was announced and hired Monday to lead the Coyotes. In his last stint, Richland Springs finished with a 13-1 record and a state semifinal appearance.
"Me and my family couldn't be more excited to come back home to Richland Springs ISD," McIntyre wrote in a post on the Richland Springs Coyote Booster Club Facebook page. "We are so grateful for the warm welcome the community of Richland Springs has shown throughout this process.
"Thank you to Superintendent Fryar, Principal Roesler, and Coach Jerry Burkhart for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I'm excited to get to work and bring home State Championship #10 ."
Last year's state ***** le game: Bode Ham's record performance leads Jayton to second consecutive ***** le