EDEN VALLEY - The Pierz Pioneers ground attack was good for 224 yards on 55 rushing attempts, but it wasn't good enough to knock off Class 2A's fourth-ranked Eden Valley-Watkins in Friday's 36-7 Central Minnesota Conference loss.
The Eagles compiled 371 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. Ryan Tri scored four of those and finished with 191 yards rushing and 33 yards receiving. Tri scored from 64, 56, 63 and 2 yards.
John Omann led the seventh-ranked and previously unbeaten Pioneers with 93 yards on 19 carries. Cody Stangl rushed for 91 yards and Pierz's lone touchdown on 19 carries.
Pierz ran off 76 plays compared to 32 by the Eagles.
"EV-W's big plays wer the difference," said Pierz head coach Leo Pohlkamp. "We controlled the ball, but their speed enabled them to strike quickly and we didn't have an answer for that."
Pierz 0 7 0 0 - 7
Eden Valley-Watkins 14 6 8 8 - 36
First quarter
EVW-Ryan Tri 64 run (Peter Euerle kick)
EVW-Tri 56 run (Peter Euerle kick)
Second quarter
PRZ-Cody Stangl 5 run (Travis Kahl kick)
EVW-Kevin Kremer 35 run (kick failed)
Third quarter
EVW-Tri 63 run (Tri pass from Eric Kummet)
Fourth quarter
EVW-Tri 2 run (John Bautch pass from Kummet)
Team statistics
Rushes-yards: Prz 55-224; EVW 30-371
Pass comp-att-int-yards: Prz 5-23-1-47; EVW 2-3-0-36
Total offense: Prz 271; EVW 407
Individual statistics
Rushing: Prz John Omann 19-93, Stangl 19-91, Jake Nelson 3-10, Kahl 3-9, Nathan Tomala 6-8, Brandon Kurowski 2-6, Sean Huls 3-4, Zach Pohlkamp 1-3; EVW Tri 6-191, Ryan McCann 21-113, Kevin Kremer 3-67.
Passing: Prz Pohlkamp 2-15-1-23, Mitch Poster 3-7-0-24, Clint Poster 0-1-0-0; EVW Tyler Geislinger 2-3-0-36.
Receiving: Prz Poster 2-11, Omann 1-20, Logan Meyer 1-13, Kahl 1-3; EVW Tri 1-33, Aaron Hesse 1-3.
Conference: Prz 1-1. Overall: Prz 2-1. Next: Rockford at Pierz 7 p.m. Friday.
Brainerd Dispatch ©2012. All Rights Reserved.