PIERRE – Pierre prevailed in the biggest game of the season, but not without the expected battle.
Lincoln Kienholz threw three touchdown passes, including a go-ahead score to Jayden Wiebe early in the fourth quarter, and then intercepted a pass in the end zone on the game’s last play as Pierre remained unbeaten Friday with a 35-30 win over Tea Area at Hollister Field at Phil Trautner Stadium in the game matching the top two teams in 11AA.
Kienholz’s touchdown pass to Wiebe with 8:36 remaining gave Pierre a 28-24 lead. Kienholz then ran in a 53-yard touchdown with just 1:52 left before Tea Area’s Maddix Slykhuis threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Chase Van Tol to cut the Governor lead to 35-30 with 15 seconds left.
The Titans then successfully recovered an onside kick before Slykhuis threw into the end zone on the game’s last play on a pass that was deflected before Kienholz made the interception to seal the win for Pierre (8-0) and most likely the top seed in the 11AA playoffs.
Kienholz was 14-for-19 with 247 yards passing and had 19 carries for a career-high 216 yards rushing. Brecken Krueger caught two passes for 72 yards. Jett Zabel had three receptions for 54 yards. Cade Kaiser caught three for 45 yards. Wiebe made two receptions for 47 yards.
Van Tol had 21 carries for 76 yards and a touchdown for Tea Area (7-1). Slykuis was 12-of-20 passing for 162 yards and two touchdowns.
The Governors scored first with 5:53 left in the first quarter on a 50-yard pass from Kienholz to Krueger, then Tea Area tied the game on a four-yard carry by Keegan DeYoung on the first play of the second quarter.
Pierre captured the lead again with just under nine minutes left in the half on a four-yard connection from Kienholz to Jack Merkwan, but Van Tol’s one-yard scoring run with 3:36 left in the second tied the game again at 14-14.
Kienholz blazed for a 71-yard touchdown run with 2:40 left and Pierre led 21-14.
Van Tol kicked a 44-yard field goal on the last play of the first half and Tea Area trailed 21-17.
The Titans then again had the lead after Slykuis threw an eight-yard touchdown to Parker Mulder with 7:22 left in the third quarter.
Tea Area has only three losses since the start of the 2019 season: in the regular season that year, in last year’s 11AA championship game and in the game on Friday. All three losses have been to Pierre.
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