No. 2 Pierce took advantage of a strong second half and won the NSAA Class C1 State Championship 42-14 over No. 1 Aurora.
Senior tight end Benjamin Brahmer led the Bluejays to victory with 249 yards on 11 catches and three touchdowns, breaking a NSAA Class C1 playoff game record for receiving yards.
“It feels great with all the work we put in during the offseason and preseason. We finally got to be a hunter in the final.” Brahmer said. “It feels great. It is a surreal moment.”
The two teams were going back and forth scoring touchdowns, and being tied up entering halftime with a score of 14-14. Aurora scored on a two yard run by quarterback Drew Knust with eight minutes left in the first and a two yard run by running back Carlos Collazo with 11:55 left in the second quarter.
The Bluejays scored on a 25 yard reception by Brahmer with 5:17 left in the first quarter and a one yard run for a touchdown by running back Keenan Valverde with 14 seconds to go in the first half.
After an evenly matched first half, the second half would be the opposite. Pierce controlled every aspect of the game, scoring 28 unanswered points.
The Bluejays would take the lead on Aurora for the first and last time on a 46 yard touchdown reception by Brahmer with six minutes left in the third quarter.
For the first time all season, Aurora was down in a football game and they weren’t able to get back in the game. Knust would throw an interception with 10:29 left in the fourth quarter that sealed the game for Pierce.
The Bluejays would go ahead and score two more times including a 75 yard touchdown reception for Brahmer with a minute left in the game to finish his record breaking night.
For Aurora, Carlos Collazo led the team with 94 yards on the ground on 20 carries and a touchdown.
The Pierce Bluejays finished the season with a perfect 13-0 campaign, handing Aurora their third straight loss in a state championship game, as the Huskies finish the season with a 12-1 record.
