The Spearfish Spartans (4-2) will travel to Patriot Stadium tonight to face the Douglas Patriots (0-6) in a Class 11AA football matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
Spearfish enters the game looking for its first road victory of the season and aiming to extend its four-game winning streak against Douglas. The Spartans are coming off a 23-12 home win over Watertown, where quarterback Thomas Hughes recorded 153 rushing yards and a touchdown, along with 77 passing yards and another score. Senior linebacker Laythen Lucas led the defense with 12 tackles and a fourth-quarter fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.
Douglas, under first-year head coach George Johnson, is seeking its first win since August 28, 2023. Johnson previously served as an assistant at Douglas and Rapid City Stevens. The Patriots have been shut out in four of their six games this season and have faced only two opponents with losing records.
Historically, Spearfish has dominated the series, holding a 10-2 record against Douglas since 2007. The Patriots’ last win over the Spartans came on October 6, 2017, with a 20-6 victory. A win tonight would end Douglas’s 23-game losing streak and a four-game skid against Spearfish.
For the Spartans, a win is critical to maintain their position in the State 11AA Football Power Points rankings, where a top-four finish would secure a home playoff game in the first round.
The game will be broadcast live on KDSJ 980 AM, 103.5 FM, and the KDSJ Sports Mobile App. Streaming is also available on KDSJ-TV via YouTube and the Black Hills Gold Hits: KDSJ Facebook page.
