Offensive Players of the Game: Jackson County Central vs. Pierz
Coming into their 3A semifinal matchup last Saturday evening at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Pierz Pioneers were averaging 274 rushing yards per game and only 95.5 passing yards a game in this 2019 state tournament. Their counterparts, the Jackson County Central Huskies, were…
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Continue ReadingComing into their 3A semifinal matchup last Saturday evening at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Pierz Pioneers were averaging 274 rushing yards per game and only 95.5 passing yards a game in this 2019 state tournament. Their counterparts, the Jackson County Central Huskies, were rushing for around 110 a game with 50 yards passing per in their 2019 state tourney. The two teams thrilling 20-14 contest won by the Pioneers looked nothing like the stat sheet would have suggested coming into the game, as the Huskies looked like the dominant offensive team almost all game and Pierz ended up needing to rely on their passing game to win it for them – as two of their three scores came on big passes – including the go-ahead TD with 1:19 remaining in the game. The two schools were both loaded with talent on the D1, D2, and D3 levels, but only three athletes distinguished themselves as Northstar Football News’ “Offensive Players of the Game.” Find out who was selected below!
1) Bradley Buhl Jr. (6’0, 215 lbs.) The JCC athlete was not on my radar prior to watching Saturday’s matchup, but boy I wish he was. The 215 lb. bruiser of a RB/LB was more than a handful for the traditional 3A powerhouse Pierz to handle, and the JCC two-way stud easily looked like the best RB in 3A.
Buhl (3) runs the ball during a Huskie regular season game.Buhl is a senior who has been selected to the 2019 MN All-Star Game, and his 109 yards on 33 carries were one hundred and nine of the toughest yards I’ve seen a running back pickup. Most carries by the 2020 grad required him to carry and/or run through multiple Pioneer defenders, and his powerful lower body kept the legs churning for what seemed like as long as he wanted to. He was fun to watch and I would be absolutely thrilled to have him on my college program next year if I was a coach. Senior year first three games Hudl: https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9968076/5d804f5104284b0c90e0d312
2) Blake Kowalczyk (5’10, 170 lbs.) Not to be outdone by his RB/LB counterpart Buhl, Pierz’s Kowalczyk had a helluva performance on both sides of the ball for the Pioneers, but his 13 carries for 86 yards combined with a huge 60-yard TD grad for Pierz’s first score of the game made for the most impressive and clutch offensive performance of any Pioneer. With a lot of pressure on teammate and Nebraska Cornhusker commit Matthias Algarin, Kowalczyk was able to crank out big runs (6.6 a carry) at key times in the game such as 3rd and 4th downs as well as in 2 minute situations.
Kowalczyk carrying the ball for Pierz.Having posted a recruiting report on the senior this past summer for NFN, I was delighted to see Kowalczyk’s success on the big stage for his tough 3A squad, and I hope this performance + the Prep Bowl appearance can help bolster his recruiting. Congrats, Blake! Junior year Hudl: https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10056831/5d407862dfe31f15c4a67880
3) Peter Schommer (5’10, 150 lbs.) is Pierz’s QB1 and is our final selection for our offensive awards. This third slot was a tough one to choose, as JCC’s Rudy Voss (6’3, 195 lbs.) and Pierz’s Matthias Algarin (6’0, 170 lbs.) both had impactful offensive performances, but I just couldn’t pass up on Schommer and the apparent ice in his veins after going 7-10 for 150 yards and 2 TD’s in what was most likely the biggest game of the senior’s life. His two TD passes were the two biggest plays offensively for Pierz, and they were both absolute dimes. His 60-yard bomb to Kowalczyk hit him in stride, and his 48-yard go-ahead TD pass to Michael Leidenfrost (5’10, 160 lbs.) with 1:19 to go in the game put his team and his town in the state finals this weekend. Schommer apparently thrives under pressure, and I hope he’s interested in playing college ball.