VERMILLION, S.D. — No. 1 Pierre High School (S.D.) got all it could handle from No. 6 Huron (S.D.) on Friday, but managed to pull away for a 38-20 win in the Class 11AA championship game.
Down 14-13 at halftime, Pierre rattled off 12 unanswered points between the third and fourth quarters to start taking control. The go-ahead score came late in the third off a long scoring drive that ended with a short TD run by quarterback Garrett Stout. After hold Huron to a 3-and-out, Maguire Raske marched the Governors down the field with three straight carries, before closing out the drive with a 22-yard touchdown reception.
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Down but not out, Huron responded with a circus touchdown pass from Jett McGirr to Cooper Fryberger, who reached around defensive back Lee Snyder’s head to make the catch and cut the score to 25-20 with 10:35 left, but it was all Pierre from there.
The Governors responded with 13 unanswered points to extinguish the Huron rally and claim its second consecutive 11AA title.
Stout finished the night with six total touchdowns, three through the air and three on the ground. He completed 16 of 28 passes for 248 yards and rushed for 111 yards on 31 carries. As a team, Pierre finished the night with 418 total yards.
McGirr completed 11 of 27 passes for 215 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. His top receiver, Fryberger, caught four balls for 135 yards. Huron made up for a lack of production on the ground (-1 yards on 15 carries) with McGirr’s aerial attack.
Pierre played the role of the aggressor at the outset. After forcing a three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, the Governors embarked on an 11-play, 70-yard drive that concluded with a 15-yard TD pass from Stout to Maher. Stout struck again two minutes later, this time with a 76-yard toss to Andrew Coverdale.
By the end of the first quarter, Pierre held a 13-0 advantage on the scoreboard and a 166-10 advantage in total yards.
For more on Stout’s heroics and Pierre’s new title, visit our Gannett partner site, The Argus Leader.