Bluejay Football
Bluejays Fight for the Win Against the Blue Devils
By Naomi Sullivan
A Homecoming victory is in the books for Pierce, as the Bluejays grabbed the 35-14 win against Wayne on Friday, Sept. 22.
The Bluejays ended the first quarter against the Blue Devils with a 0-0 score.
The defensive battle continued, as neither team scored the second quarter either.
Starting off the third quarter, with just 50 seconds off the clock, Keenan Valverde had a 49-yard run, followed by a 2-yard scramble to score the touchdown. Nils Røstad's kick was good, starting the third quarter with a 7-0 score.
“I think we struggled in the first half coming out. I think we underestimated them a little bit defensively; we held them pretty well offensively, we couldn't get blocks down. After halftime talking in the shed we did better scoring wise,” says Valverde.
Later in the third, it was Champion White finding the end zone, with Rostad kicking the PAT making the score 14-0 in favor of the Bluejays.
The Blue Devils added to the score with a 65-yard touchdown and a successful PAT, making the new score 14-7.
With just 27 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Lucas Scrivner blocked Wayne’s punt and Wyatt Asmus fell on the ball in Pierce’s end zone for the safety, pushing the Bluejays lead to 16-0 to end the quarter.
Beginning the fourth quarter, Gavin Sullivan had a 36-yard touchdown adding to the score with Røstad kicking the PAT, making the score 23-7.
The BlueDevils retaliated with a 26-yard touchdown plus a 2-point conversion, making the score 23-15.
Valverde added more points with a 67-yard touchdown run, pushing the Bluejays to a 29-15 lead.
Finally Kaden Froehlich ended the game with a short touchdown run, ending the game with a 35-15 score.
Coach Darren Suckstorf states “I thought the boys responded well the second half.”
The Bluejays are 4-1 so far this season, and they will head to O’Neill on Friday, Sept. 29.
The Pierce Football JV Team Victorious Against the Battle Creek Braves
By Alanna McKeown
On Monday, Sept. 18, the Pierce JV football team dominated against the Battle Creek Braves with a score of 38-7.
Starting off the first half, the Bluejays struck the Braves with a touchdown by Peyton Kruntorad followed by a 2-point after attempt that failed, making the score 6-0. The next touchdown Pierce scored was by Brock Collison followed by a successful 2-point conversion where Collison threw to Hayden Bauer to complete the play, bringing the score to 14-0 for halftime, in favor of the Bluejays.
Head JV coach Grant Doerr says, “I thought the boys played really hard. The first half was sort of slow, and the second half was better.”
Starting off the second half of the game, the Braves scored a touchdown and the point after, taking the score to 14-7, with Pierce still leading.
The Bluejays took control of the game back with another touchdown by Colter Anderson followed by a successful 2-point conversion thanks to Bryce Lindstrom. This took the score up to 22-7. Anderson scored another touchdown for the Bluejays. Tyler Schulz threw it to Peyton Cederburg for a successful 2-point conversion, taking the score to 30-7 with Pierce holding the lead. Scoring the next touchdown was Gavin Lubisher followed by a successful 2-point conversion, finally making the winning score 38-7.
“Everyone did a good job, and we worked really hard to get that win,” says freshman Kaiden Ronnfeldt.
Join the JV football team at Norfolk Catholic at 5 p.m. on October 2.
