Triumphant homecoming: Mustangs Roll to 4-0

Postgame fireworks lit up the night sky to cap a successful homecoming for the Tri-Valley Mustangs. But at field level, it was senior running back Brody Dybvig who provided the real sparks in a 20-7 victory over Dakota Valley – giving the program its first 4-0 start since 2011.

Dybvig did a little bit of everything for the Mustangs — defensive breakups, long runs, even a big punt return — but his defining play came late in the second quarter.

Already nursing a 7-0 lead from an earlier 36-yard touchdown run, Dybvig caught a slant pass at midfield and broke multiple tackles, stiff-arming defenders and pinballing his way toward the pylon. He appeared to dive across the goal line for a highlight-reel touchdown, but officials ruled him out at the 1-yard line.

Dybvig had his own opinion on the spot.

 “Personally, I think I might be a little biased, but I thought I got it in there,” he said with a smirk.

Fellow running back Landyn Reiser finished the drive on the next play, punching it in from a yard out. The two backs traded carries all night, wearing down the Dakota Valley defense over four quarters. But it wasn't supposed to be like that. 

The Mustangs entered the season expecting to feature a three-headed monster in the backfield, but an injury to junior Brechen Frederick has shifted more of the workload onto Dybvig and Reiser. Head coach Dan Snethen praised both for rising to the challenge.

“I’ll tell you what – those two kids are just absolutely outstanding,” Snethen said. “We’ve got another guy sitting on that sideline in a brace who’s right there with them. The way those two picked up the slack after he got hurt … they’re just tremendous football players.”

Snethen added that Dybvig’s physical style sets him apart from other running backs across South Dakota.  “Brody Dybvig is probably the only 170-pound power back in the state. He’ll just dip his shoulder and run somebody over.”

As if their offensive contributions weren’t enough, both Dybvig and Reiser also made their presence felt on defense - a fitting reflection of a bond that’s been built since their earliest days in the program.

 “We’ve played together ever since third grade,” Reiser said of his teammate. “We’ve developed a great relationship. We lift together, we do everything together, we grind hard and just work really well together.”

The Mustang defense swarmed the Panthers all night. Protecting a 14-7 lead late in the third quarter, Dakota Valley rolled the dice on fourth-and-short in its own territory. Reiser blew up the pitch play, tackling the ball carrier for a turnover on downs and setting Tri-Valley up with a short field.

That relentless style is rooted in the team’s defensive mantra: “Six-O,” which stands for six seconds of havoc.

 “We want to give them the hardest six seconds of their life,” Reiser said.

Moments later, quarterback Brady Jewett connected with Sullivan Snethen for a touchdown to extend the lead to 20-7 with five minutes to go in the fourth. The defense closed the door once more, as Cole Hendrickson intercepted a Dakota Valley pass to punctuate a dominant performance and put the Tri-Valley crowd on its feet. 

Coach Snethen said the energy around the school and community was impossible to miss this week.

 “We could feel it coming out of the stands, we could feel it walking through the hallways – it felt so good,” Snethen said. “That’s the way it’s supposed to be at Tri-Valley.”

That support will only grow as the Mustangs prepare for a huge road test next week at Dell Rapids. Dybvig said the team’s approach will remain simple.

 “We’ve got to do the same exact thing we did this week: Work every day, no matter what, and go into their house and show them that we can play.”