Bluejay Football
Bluejays Beat Blue Devils
by Morgan Crist
The Pierce High football team took down the Wayne Blue Devils on Friday, September 29, with a score of 50-34 at the home of Bluejays.
In the first quarter, the Blue Devils started the scoring with Beau Bowers of Wayne scoring on a four-yard run along with a two point conversion.
The Jays answered back in the second quarter, as Collin Tinker had a 15-yard touchdown and Dalton Freeman made a two-point conversion. However, Wayne’s Bowers threw a pass to Mason Lee that was good for another Blue Devil touchdown, and they managed to get the two-point conversion. The Jays responded with C. Tinker on a four-yard touchdown, but the duo of Bowers and Lee had another Blue Devil touchdown. C. Tinker was on fire for the Jays, however, and had another four-yard touchdown before the end of the quarter, but Wayne’s Bowers threw another touchdown pass for the Blue Devils to bring the score to 20-28 with the Jays down.
In the third quarter, Brett Tinker scored a 24-yard touchdown for the Jays, and brother C. Tinker scored the two-point conversion. The Blue Devils jumped back ahead, however, as Bowers ended the quarter with a one-yard touchdown.
The fourth quarter, the Jays took over. C. Tinker had a 63-yard touchdown to start things off, and later had a two-yard touchdown. Ashton Wragge also aided the Jays’ efforts with a 29-yard touchdown.
For rushing, C. Tinker led with 216 yards gained. Tinker also had 18 receiving yards. Dalton Freeman had an 80% completion rate of passing.
The Jays will square off with O’Neill this Friday, October 6, for the Homecoming game at 7:00 p.m.
F-S Bluejays Fight the Knights
by Morgan Crist
The freshman-sophomore football of Pierce faced off against the Norfolk Catholic Knights on Monday, October 2, at Memorial Field and lost. The Bluejays ended the game with a score of 13-31.
Scoring for the Bluejays were Garret Meyer with a two yard touchdown and Jeremiah Kruntorad, who ran 64 yards for the only other Bluejay touchdown. The extra point was made by kicker Chaden Roth
Coach Grant Doerr said of the turnout of the game, “Mistakes led to an early deficit, and the kids were unable to rebound from them.”
The freshman-sophomore team played again on Monday, October 9, for their final game of the season against Norfolk Public
Freshman/Sophomore Football Team Dominates Crofton
by Angelica Volquardsen
The freshman/sophomore Bluejays played the Crofton Warriors on Monday, September 25, at Pierce High School. Despite wet and rainy conditions, the Jays excelled, and the game ended with a win for the Jays by a score of 28-8.
In the first half, David Dale had two touchdown runs, and a two-point conversion for the Jays. Jeremiah Kruntorad also had a touchdown run. Dean Orwig had a fumble recovery in the first half as well. By halftime, the Jays were in control with the score at 22-0.
In the second half, Chaden Roth had a touchdown run to top off the Jays’ scoring. The Warriors managed to get into the end zone once and score a two-point conversion, but the Jays remained victorious.
The next freshman/sophomore football game will be held on Monday, October 9, at home against Norfolk.
JH Football Teams Split Victories With Boone Central
The junior high football team competed in Albion against the Boone Central/Newman Grove Cardinals on Tuesday September 26. The 7th grade team won with a score of 28-14, and the 8th grade team lost with a score of 14-28.
For the 7th grade game, Benjamin Brahmer caught a 42-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion pass from Abram Scholting to put the Bluejays up 8-0 at the half. In the third quarter, Colby Anderson had a 51-yard touchdown run, but the Jays’ defense allowed the Cardinals into the end zone to bring the score to 14-6 after three. The Jays sealed their win in the fourth quarter, as they allowed the Cardinals to score only one more time but scored again on a 31-yard touchdown run from Scholting with Anderson running in the two-point conversion. With Brahmer getting another 4-yard touchdown run at the end of the game, the final score had the Jays up 28-14. “I thought everyone played hard. The boys were tackling with actual physical hits, and they competed well,” said seventh-grade coach Les Piper.
For the 8th grade game, the Jays’ offense struggled in the first half, as they found themselves down 0-14 after two quarters. In the third quarter, Michael Kruntorad had a three-yard run for a touchdown, and Ritter Oestreich ran in the two-point conversion. The Cardinals, however, also managed a touchdown and a two-point conversion to make the score 8-22 after three. In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals would score one more time, and although the Jays also had another touchdown courtesy of Kruntorad, Pierce still fell 14-28.
“Overall, I was very pleased with the 7th and 8th graders and how hard they played,” said coach Mike Emory.
The next junior high football game will be held Tuesday, October 10, against Battle Creek at home beginning at 4:30.
