YANKTON – Yankton gave Pierre Governor Football their best on Friday, but the Governors recovered in the second half to extend their frustration upon the Bucks.
Trey Lewis rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown as Pierre rallied from its first scoreless first half since 2016 to defeat Yankton 27-14 Friday at Crane-Youngworth Field.
Pierre (4-0) has now defeated Yankton (3-1) in the schools’ last five meetings and nine of the last 10.
The Governors had the football first, but the drive ended when Cade Kaiser was intercepted by Yankton’s Bode Thurman, who ran it back 43 yards to Pierre’s 25 yard line. Three plays later, Lucas Kampshoff found Austin Gobel for a seven-yard touchdown pass to give the Bucks a 7-0 lead with 5:04 left in the first quarter.
A Carson Stoeser fumble recovery gave Pierre the ball at the Yankton 34 with just over four minutes left in the first half, but the Governors failed on fourth down. Exchanges of punts followed, and Yankton led 7-0 at halftime. It was the first time Pierre was held without a first-half point since October 14, 2016 in a 42-13 loss at Mitchell, the eventual 11AA state champion and the last before Pierre’s current streak of six straight titles.
Yankton punted on the first second-half possession, then Lewis carried 53 yards to bring the Governors to the Bucks’ 12. Four plays later, on fourth and 15, Kaiser carried the ball to the end zone from 17 yards. A Ryann Barry extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 8:52 left in the third quarter.
Kampshoff threw a 40-yard pass to Tucker Gilmore to place Yankton at the Pierre 30 on the Bucks’ next possession, but Yankton couldn’t convert a fourth down. Pierre then had runs of 32 and 12 yards by Lewis before a two-yard scoring run by Jett Zabel from a wildcat formation. Barry’s extra point gave Pierre a lead 14-7 with 3:15 remaining in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, a 22-yard pass from Kampshoff to Evan Serck set up a five-yard scoring pass from Kampshoff to Payton Peterson with 9:27 left to force a 14-14 tie.
On Pierre’s next drive, Kaiser’s 41-yard pass to Zabel sent the Govenors to the Yankton 18, one play before Lewis’ touchdown run with 7:29 left. Pierre led 20-14.
Yankton again was held to a punt before Pierre clinched the game with an 88-yard scoring drive, capped by a 65-yard scoring strike from Kaiser to George Stalley with 3:25 remaining. Pierre had its final margin of 13 after a Barry extra point.
Pierre rushed for 310 yards in total. Kaiser rushed for 65 yards and Moser had 50.
Kaiser was 12-of-25 passing for 170 yards with a touchdown and interception. Zabel had seven catches for 75 yards. Stalley had four for 87 with his score.
Chance Carda had six tackles for the Governors’ defense. Lucas Chamberlin and Emmit Andersen recorded sacks. Spencer Skjonsberg ended Yankton’s last possession with an interception.
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