“Dizzying” Pierce offense races past Columbus Lakeview, 44-22.

Pierce offensive stars (L-R)Brett Tinker #48, Carson Oestreich #7,and Dalton Freeman #4. *(photo by Pierce Asst. Coach Tyler Legate)

-COLUMBUS, NE-

Before we go any further, be advised that Columbus Lakeview has a well coached, top notch football team. Pierce is just that good. When an offense makes this guy dizzy trying chart a game after 50 years of doing it, something special is up.

So, just how does your defense stop a Pierce Bluejay offense that rotates two full interior offensive lines, operates at a dizzying pace, and features dynamic skill players? Apparently you don’t.

Five opponents had attempted it this season, prior to tonight’s contest, and Kurt Frenzen’s fine Columbus Lakeview football team became the 6th failing to come up with a way to slow the Pierce offensive juggernaut.

Lakeview had the right idea to begin the game, forcing a Pierce punt after one Bluejay 1st down. The Vikings took over on their own 26, sent Lucas Thatcher around the right side and when the play ended, the 155 pound senior had scooted all the way down the Lakeview sidelines to inside the Pierce 15 yard line. But offsetting penalties turned the electrifying long run into a simple replay of the down, Thatcher’s 59 rushing yards were voided, and the Vikings would eventually have to punt.

The Pierce no-huddle, quick moving offense then fashioned an 11 play scoring drive that consumed 4 minutes, 23 seconds, with speedy Carson Oestreich (OH-STRECK) finishing things off with a 1 yard touchdown run.

Bluejay place kicker Devan Roth’s PAT attempt was wide, and Pierce had a 6-0 lead with 4:06 left in the first.

Lakeview answered right back, and it didn’t take long. From the Viking 21, QB Jaden Johnson found TE Brook Behlin for a 9 yard gain, rugged Jacob Frenzen ripped off 9 more on a carry, then Johnson rolled to his right and hooked up with senior WR Brock Foltz for a 57 yard touchdown play. Jaden Johnson kicked his own PAT and Lakeview had a 7-6 lead with 2:38 left in the opening stanza.

That would be the Vikings only lead of the game and it would last only 26 seconds.

It took only two plays for Pierce head coach Mark Brahmer to reach into his bag of magic tricks.

All-state QB candidate Dalton Freeman took the shotgun snap from center Caleb Anderson, pitched the ball to Carson Oestreich, who started a sweep around his right side, then suddenly pulled up to promptly fire a 75 yard TD pass to a wide open Gavin Larson.

B A N G! Freeman then hit Oestreich for the 2 point conversion and the Bluejays had a 14-6 lead and were on their way.

The quick striking Pierce offense would add two more 1st half scores, a 1 yard plunge by muscular TE Ryan Fuchs and a 6 yard TD dash by Dalton Freeman. The Freeman touchdown came one play after Carson Oestreich had unleashed a tackle shedding 46 yard run that stretched from the Pierce 48, all the way to the Lakeview 6 yard line.

The Bluejays went into the halftime break with a 28-7 cushion.

Lakeview opened the 3rd quarter with a good looking drive that carried all the way from their 32 yard line to the Pierce 25. The Bluejay defense then came up with a demoralizing blow when Carson Oestreich stepped in front of a Viking receiver at the 20 and picked off the pass, taking it 80 yards the other way for a Pick 6.

That would be the only scoring in the 3rd quarter, as the Bluejays widened their lead to 35-7.

Devan Roth added a 23 yard field goal to begin the 4th quarter after the Lakeview defense came up with a great defensive stand. That made it 38-7 with 10:46 left in the game.

The Viking offense came to life after Roth’s FG, and the Pierce offense begin to relax a bit, getting sloppy with penalties.

Big 190 pound Lakeview sophomore, Austen Smith would score on a 4 yard run with 8:08 left, but the Pierce defense came right back less than 4 minutes later with another defensive score.

The Vikings, backed up deep in their own territory, attempted to get some big yards on on a pass play, but defensive ace Brett Tinker, the guy that eats nails for breakfast, had other ideas.

Tinker shot through the line on a blitz, hitting an already gimpy Jaden Johnson so hard, the ball shot back to the Lakeview 19 yard line. Dylan Delka then scooped it up, taking it in for the Bluejays second defensive score of the night.

Lakeview wasn’t about to give up though, sending 160 pound QB Evan Tessendorf into the game. The 6-0 junior immediately hit classmate Kienan Prorok for a slick 37 yard gainer.

Tessendorf then dialed up the exact same play, only to find Prorok for a 27 yard touchdown. Tessendorf and Prorok hooked up for a third straight pass/catch play on the double PAT, cutting the Pierce lead to 44-22.

The Pierce reserves closed out the game, but the offensive line continued to open holes, as the Bluejays moved the ball methodically from the Midfield stripe all the way to the Lakeview 4 yard line in less than 40 seconds.

Sophomore David Dale swept around his right end for gains of 4 and 9 yards, junior Jeremiah Kruntorad ripped off runs of 11 and 20 yards on the same play, before the Pierce QB took a knee to end the contest with the ball resting on the Lakeview 4 yard line.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever witnessed an offense quite as unique as Mark Brahmer’s Pierce unit(s). Brahmer calls plays with rapid, impossible to decode signals that the defense must find dizzying. And I’m certain that Coach Brahmer must know where every single offensive player needs to be on every single one of these plays. Incredible.

If it seemed confusing to me, I wonder how it must have looked to the Lakeview defense, although the Viking “D” did not look all that shabby despite the score. In fact, they looked very good at times. And remember, the Bluejay defense had two scores.

The player of the game on offense had to be Carson Oestreich of Pierce. The 185 pound junior rushed for 138 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown, threw a 75 yard scoring pass and had that 80 yard Pick 6 on defense.

Pierce rushed for 385 yards tonight and added 74 yards and a score through the air. Columbus Lakeview was led by Lucas Thatcher, who ran 11 times for 50 yards. Jacob Frenzen chipped in 47 yards on 12 totes.

Lakeview QBs Jaden Johnson and Evan Tessendorf combined for 158 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns, while Johnson suffered two interceptions. A huge bright spot for that Viking defense was holding Pierce to 3 second half points and no touchdowns.

6-0 Pierce returns home next week to face a 1-5 Logan View/Scribner-Snyder team, while Columbus Lakeview remains at home to face crosstown rival Columbus Scotus, who upset Wahoo Neumann 21-19 Friday night.

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

Pierce (6-0)..............................14…...14….....7….....9.…...…44

Columbus Lakeview (4-2)........7…….0.…….0…....15….…..22

…………………...…………………………………………………………..…………….P-C/L

1st Qtr.

P….Carson Oestreich 1 run…………...............PAT-kick failed……………..………6...0

CL..Brock Foltz 57 pass from jaden Johnson...PAT-Johnson kick………………….6...7

P…Gavin Larson 75 pass from Oestreich…….PAT-Freeman to Oestreich pass...14..7

2nd Qtr

P….Ryder Fuchs 1 plunge……………………...PAT-Roth kick……………………...21..7

P….Dalton Freeman 6 run……………………...PAT-Roth kick……………………...28..7

3rd Qtr.

P….Oestreich 80 yard INT Return……………...PAT-Roth kick……………………...35..7

4th Qtr.

P…..Devan Roth 23 yard Field Goal…………………………………………………....38..7

CL...Austen Smith 4 run………………………….PAT-Johnson kick…………………38-14

P…..Dylan Delka 19 yard Fumble Return……...PAT-kick failed…………………….44..14

CL...Kienan Prorok 27 pass from Evan Tessendorf PAT-Tessendorf to Prorok….44..22