PIERZ-Lane Girtz ran for all Pioneer touchdowns leading Class 3A's fourth-ranked and top-seeded Pierz Pioneers to a 19-14 victory over No. 4 St. Cloud Cathedral in the Section 5-3A semifinals Saturday.
Girtz scored on runs of 5, 3 and 5 yards and finished with 114 yards on 25 carries. His third touchdown put the Pioneers up 19-7 in the third quarter.
Cathedral held a 246-207 advantage in total offensive yards, but Pierz was able to limit the Crusaders to 89 yards rushing.
The 8-1 Pioneers have won seven straight and face No. 2 Mora for the Section 5-3A championship at 8 p.m. Friday at St. Cloud State.
"I have to give Cathedral credit tonight," Pierz coach Leo Pohlkamp said. "They came to play. It took us a while to get going but we came through in the second half. It's always nice to be in the section championship game."
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Cathedral 0 7 0 7-14
Pierz 0 7 12 0-19
Second quarter
SC-Kendrick Hernandez 3 run (Jack Thibault kick) 6:05
Prz-Lane Girtz 5 run (Preston Rocheleau kick) 1:43
Third quarter
Prz-Girtz 3 run, (kick blocked) 5:55
Prz-Girtz 5 run (pass fail) 0:24
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Fourth quarter
SC-Mitch Plombon 9 pass from Quinton Young (Thibault kick) 1:48
Team statistics
Rushes-yards: SC 31-89, P 43-153
Pass comp-att-int-yds: SC 10-16-1-157, P 2-7-0-54
Total offense: SC 246, P 207
Individual leaders
Rushing: P-Girtz 25-114, Carson Huls 6-22, Brandon Ortman 3-15, Derick Hall 6-1
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Passing: P-Rocheleau 2-7-0-54
Receiving: P-Girtz 1-19, Jalen Jansen 1-35
Overall: P 8-1. Next: No. 1 Pierz vs. No. 2 Mora for Section 5-3A championship at St. Cloud State 8 p.m. Friday.
