PIERRE – History is now only one win away for Pierre Governor Football.
Pierre used a strong running game, led by 157 yards and three touchdowns from Trey Lewis, to hold off Watertown 35-14 Friday in the 11AA semifinal round at Hollister Field at Phil Trautner Stadium.
Pierre (10-1) advanced to next Friday’s championship game against Yankton at the DakotaDome in Vermillion. A win in that game would give the Governors a record seventh straight 11AA title.
The Governors rushed for 282 yards and had the ball nearly 29 of the 48 minutes, forcing Watertown to keep its early use of its passing game going, and the Arrows struggled there, completing only seven of 26 passes and seeing Treyton Himmerich intercepted four times.
After Spencer Easland returned the opening kickoff 32 yards, Pierre drove 48 yards in just over three minutes in the game’s opening drive, capped by a four-yard touchdown run by quarterback Cade Kaiser.
Watertown (7-4) evened the game on their first possession when Himmerich hit Spencer Wietjes with a 47-yard touchdown.
Pierre’s next possession, a 90-yard drive, helped with first downs twice after Arrow penalties, ended with a one-yard run for a score by Jett Zabel. Pierre led 14-7 after one quarter.
The teams exchanged interceptions, then Watertown punted. Lewis then scored the first of his three touchdown runs, from 33 yards, and Pierre’s lead was 21-7, which remained the score at halftime.
After Watertown punted to open the second half, Pierre scored in 50 yards and seven plays, all of which were runs by Lewis, ending with a 14-yard scamper play that saw Lewis accelerate, then spin and break at least three Watertown tackles before finding the end zone. The Governor lead was extended to 28-7.
Lewis shortly thereafter had an interception, then scored again on the first play of the fourth quarter from two yards out.
Playing his last high school game, stellar Watertown running back Juven Hudson had the game’s final touchdown, a 48-yard run with just over five minutes remaining. Hudson rushed for 145 yards on 17 carries.
Kaiser was 14 of 22 passing for 131 yards and an interception while running eight times for 45 yards. Trevor Rounds had 70 yards rushing on seven carries. George Stalley led Pierre in receptions with five.
Kaiser and Titian Winkler also had interceptions.
Chance Carda had five tackles. EJ Boutchee had two tackles for losses, one of which was a sack. Easland broke up three passes.
Pierre will play Yankton on Friday at the DakotaDome for the 11AA championship. Coverage will begin at 6:15 PM on Friday on The Official Voice Of The Pierre Governors, River 92.7. Live and archived video will be available at the River 92.7 page at the DRG News app & drgnews.com.
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