Pierce Rushing Juggernaut breezes past Columbus Scotus, 50-21.

Brett Tinker (Center) led Pierce with 184 yards rushing in the Bluejays 50-21 win over previously unbeaten Columbus Scotus. Pictured on the right is former Neligh-Oakdale and Husker FB, Tyler Legate, a Pierce assistant coach. Legate led Class C-2 in rushing in 2006 with 2,051 rushing yards. Legate was also a standout blocking fullback for 3 seasons at Nebraska after his high school playing days at N/O.

PAWNEE PARK-(COLUMBUS NE.)

The Pierce Bluejays furious ground attack, minus All-State QB/DB Dalton Freeman, never skipped a beat in an impressive 50-21 win over a good Columbus Scotus football team Friday night at Pawnee Park.

For the second straight week, Brett Tinker, Carson Oestreich and company zipped through quick openings provided by the crisp, crunching blocks of that highly skilled Pierce offensive line.

It was poetry in motion when offensive linemen Seth Valverde, Colby Richart, Dylan Svoboda, Carter Rohrich, Kage Heisinger, Garret Meier and numerous others, cracked open holes in the Scotus defense. The creases, some only momentary, were enough for the fabled Bluejay backfield to rush for 462 yards on 42 attempts, the second straight week the group has topped the 450 mark.

Dalton Freeman, the magical Bluejay quarterback, was in street clothes tonight, but Carson Oestreich assumed controls for the 2nd consecutive week, looked comfortable, and engineered the Pierce ground machine without a hitch.

Scotus, who knocked off Class C-2 pre-season #1 Aquinas 27-19 in the season opener, was a perfect 3-0 coming into the game. Not only was Scotus undefeated entering the contest, but the Shamrocks boasted their own All-State athlete running the show in the very fine Tyler Palmer.

The Husker baseball recruit was a major concern for Pierce super coach Mark Brahmer, but the fierce Bluejay did a nice job in limiting the damage the 6-1, 185 pound Palmer could inflict on their defense. But, there will be few if any teams the rest of the way that will completely shut down Tyler Palmer. He’s simply that talented.

Just like last week in Ord, it took a while for the Pierce offense to get going. In Ord, it was the nearly the entire first half, which can be attributed not only to losing Freeman on the second play from scrimmage, but also a the work of a brutal Ord defense.

Tonight, the Scotus defense limited Class C-1, No. 1 Pierce to just a Chaden Roth field goal in that opening quarter. But speed demon Brett Tinker changed that in a hurry by slicing through a quick opening to race 30 yards for touchdown. When backup QB Chaden Roth booted the PAT through the south Pawnee Park uprights, only 37 seconds remained in the first quarter, but Pierce had a 10-0 lead.

On the ensuing Scotus drive, Tyler Palmer went to work, engineering a sweet 68 yard drive, culminating with the Rocks QB crashing in for the score from a yard out. The scoring drive, which took only 1:42, was highlighted by a 37 yard yard Tyler Palmer pass to 180 pound senior, Dalton Borchers. The play carried from the Pierce 38 to Bluejay 1 yard line.

Then the magic play calling of Mark Brahmer kicked in, as did the Pierce O-Line on the following Pierce possession. QB Carson Oesteich carried for 11 yards from the Bluejay 40 to the Scotus 49. Then it was Oestreich off to the races on a 26 yard power dash to the Shamrock 23. Then it was Oestreich for 13 more to the Scotus 10, before Brett Tinker slipped in for the 3 yard touchdown, giving the Bluejays 17-7 lead with 8:52 left in the second stanza.

The drive must have given the Bluejay offense an extra charge. Pierce would add two more touchdowns before intermission on runs by Jeremiah Kruntorad (10 yards) and Carson Oestreich (13 yards), giving the undefeated Bluejays a commanding 30-7 halftime lead.

Meanwhile, the Pierce defensive line was busy smothering any attempts by the Shamrocks offense to answer back.

Pierce went right to work in the 3rd quarter following a booming 60 yard punt by the Shamrocks fine FB, Eric Mustard. The Bluejays went 80 yards in three minutes, fifty seconds, taking just 7 plays to reach paydirt.

Once again it was Brett Tinker blowing through an opening so quick, not even Scotus legend Mike Cielocha could have reacted fast enough back in the day. Tinker’s 26 yard touchdown sprint took exactly 3 and a half blinks and suddenly the Bluejays lead was 37-7 with 6:19 left in the 3rd.

But guess what? Tyler Palmer must have wanted to show the packed Pawnee Park house how fast those wheels of his could pick ‘em up and lay ‘em down. In took only two plays for the All-State Husker baseball recruit to get around his right side, the short side of the field by the way, and sprint 71 yards down the Shamrock sideline, leaving Pierce defenders in a blur, in his rearview mirror.

Brett Tinker would then add his fourth touchdown of the game on a two yard run with only 1:35 deep into the 4th quarter. Two minutes,15 seconds later, Pierce would recover a fumble, then it was Jeremiah Kruntorad’s turn to do his “Tyler Palmer” imitation.

That one had to sting the Rocks, because the Pierce speedster took the exact same scoring route down the Scotus sidelines 51 yards for a touchdown.

That gave Pierce a 50-14 advantage before the “never quit” Tyler Palmer hooked up with Dalton Borchers for a 67 yard scoring pass.

Borchers was well covered on that play, but Palmer put it on the money, the two Pierce defenders that were double teaming Borchers collided in mid-air before hitting the Pawnee Park artificial turf, and Borchers was on his way to the final score of the windy evening.

Pierce All-Stater Brett Tinker led all rushers in the game with 184 yards on 21 carries, 4 touchdowns and a slew of tackles on defense. Carson Oestreich carried only 12 times, but zipped for 120 yards and a score. Speed merchant Jeremiah Kruntorad ran for 90 yards on just 7 touches with a pair of scores,while hard running 185 pound junior David Dale gained 51 yards on 9 carries.

Carson Oestreich attempted only 5 passes in the game, completing two for sixty one yards while sufferning an interception to Dalton Borchers.

The Pierce offense put up 523 unofficial total yards tonight.

Tyler Palmer was the show for Columbus Scotus. The splendid senior ran 103 yards on 12 carries and completed 11 of 21 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown, while suffering one INT at the hands of Pierce defensive back Jake Edins.

The Shamrocks finished with an unofficial 152 yards rushing on 30 carries and 182 yards through the air, for an offensive output of 334 yards against a good Pierce defense.

The Class C-1, #1 Pierce team will head back to the friendly confines next Friday to host a 3-1 Wayne team that knocked off undefeated and 9th rated Columbus Lakeview Friday night.

Scotus will have a short week, but will stay at home to entertain a 2-2 Raymond Central next Thursday at Pawnee Park. Raymond suffered a heartbreaking 35-28 loss to Nebraska City Friday night.

……………………….…………..1……..2……..3……..4……...F

Pierce (4-0)......................10......20…….7.……13.…...50

Columbus Scotus (3-1)…..0.....….7…....7….….7.....…21

1st Qtr…………………………………………………….………………….Pie-Ord

Pie..Chaden Roth 30 Field Goal………………………...…………..3…0…..(3:52)

Pie..Brett Tinker 30 run………………….....PAT-Roth kick……10...0…..(0:37)

2nd Qtr.

CS..Tyler Palmer 1 run……………………....PAT-Palmer kick…10..7....(10:55)

Pie..Brett Tinker 3 run……………….……...PAT-Roth kick......17..7….(8:52)

Pie..Jeremiah Kruntorad 10 run………...PAT-Roth kick.…...24..7....(5:44)

Pie..Carson Oestreich 13 run……………...PAT-kick blked…..30..7....(2:58)

3rd Qtr.

Pie..Brett Tinker 30 run…………………….PAT-Roth kick…….37...7..(6:51)

Pie..Tyler Palmer 71 run…………............PAT-Palmer kick... 37..14..(5:25)

4th Qtr

Pie..Brett Tinker 2 run………………. ……..PAT-kick failed …43..14..(10:25)

Pie..Jeremiah Kruntorad 51 run………….PAT-Roth kick…..50..14...(8:10)

CS..Dalton Borchers 67 pass from Palmer..PAT-Palmer kick..50..21...(6:10)