PILLAGER CRUISES TO A VICTORY OVER CROOKSTON PIRATE FOOTBALL

The Pillager Huskies scored on their first three drives of the game for a 24-0 lead and cruised the rest of the way to a 43-6 victory over the Crookston Pirate Football team in a game played on a beautiful night in Pillager.

First Half –
Pillager started the game with the ball and on the fourth play of the game they completed a 31-yard pass in the middle of the 10 play 65-yard drive taking almost six minutes off the clock that was capped by a Jack Bentson one-yard run and after a two-point conversion the Huskies led 8-0.
On the first drive, Crookston moved the ball and recorded a first down on a Joe Doda run but a sack on a third-down play halted the drive. Crookston punted the ball and Pillager started their second drive at their own 25-yard line and on the second play of the drive, Tucker Peterson broke three tackles and ran 66 yards for a touchdown and after a two-point conversion the Huskies led 16-0 with 2:21 left in the first quarter.
Crookston’s second drive was a three and out after two incomplete passes and they were forced to punt. Pillager started their third drive at their own 35-yard line with 38 seconds left in the first quarter. The Huskies had a nine-play drive led by 14 yard and 20 yard passes before Jack Bentson scored on a 15 yard run for his second touchdown of the game and after a two-point conversion, they led 24-0. “They got off the ball so well.  They could have run any play and done well because they got off the ball so well and took it to us,” said Crookston Coach Scott Butt. “We didn’t have an answer for them and it showed in the first half.”
Crookston’s third offensive series was short-lived as they were forced to punt on the fifth play, deep in their own territory. Pillager snuck through the line and blocked the punt and Jimmy Winkleman picked up the loose ball and ran 25 yards for a touchdown for a 30-0 lead with 5:16 left in the half.
After another Crookston punt, Pillager started the drive at their own 11-yard line and they put another impressive drive together and marched the ball down the field and capped an 89-yard drive with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Erik Peterson to Griffin Decker to take a 36-0 lead into halftime. Crookston starting quarterback Leyton Salentine’s knee brace was damaged on a tackle and they weren’t able to straighten out the brace forcing him to sit the bench at the end of the second quarter and the entire second half.  “That was a tough half and we had it taken to us,” said Coach Butt.  “We challenged the captains at halftime and told them to get the team ready for the second half.”

Second half –
Crookston started the second half with the ball and put a 10 play drive together before stalling at the Pillager 11 yard line and the Huskies got the ball back on a turnover on downs. Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Pillager was in the middle of a drive that advanced into the fourth quarter. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Griffin Decker scored on an eight-yard run and after an extra point kick, the Huskies led 43-0. Eight minutes later, Crookston had the ball at the Huskies 46-yard line to start the drive and Easton Tangquist threw a perfect pass to a wide-open Jacob Miller for a 25-yard touchdown for the first varsity touchdown for both players and Crookston trailed 43-6 with less than four minutes to go in the game.  “Easton threw a nice ball and stepped in nicely for us tonight,” said Coach Butt. “Jacob ran a nice route and was wide open.  They ran a nice play and a good route.  It was nice to get on the board.” Neither team scored the rest of the way and Pillager won the game 43-6. “I was happy with the way the kids played in the third and fourth quarter,” said Coach Butt. “This game was an ego crusher, that is for sure.  They took it to us and we didn’t have an answer.”

Crookston drops to 0-2 on the year and will host West Central Area on Friday, September 13. West Central Area has outscored their opponents in the first two games by a 109-0 and are 2-0 on the year. Pillager improves to 1-1 on the year.

1st Quarter
6:14 –  Pillager – Jack Bentson  1 yard run  (Erik Peterson run)
1:48 –  Pillager – Tucker Peterson 66 yard run (A. J. Gratke pass from Erik Peterson)

2nd Quarter
8:38 –  Pillager – Jack Bentson 15 yard run (Luke Woidyla pass from Erik Peterson)
5:36 –  Pillager –  Jimmy Winkelman 24 yard blocked punt return (Run failed)
1:36 – Pillager –  Griffin Decker 29 yard pass from Erik Peterson (Run failed)

3rd Quarter
No Scoring

4th Quarter
11:54 –  Pillager – Griffin Decker 8 yard run  (Judah Beard kick)
3:55 –  Crookston – Jacob Miller  25 yard pass from Easton Tangquist (Kick failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATS