PIERRE – The Governors established control early and cruised to a 35-14 Class 11AA quarterfinal playoff win over Brookings on Thursday at Hollister Field.

With the wind at its back, Pierre took advantage of several short fields to put up 21 points in the first quarter; and then, scored its fourth TD just 5 seconds into the second quarter.

The Governors’ first drive started at their own 48 and culminated in a Hudson Rohrbach 2-yard run with 6:26 left in the quarter. Casey Williams converted the first of five PAT kicks for the 7-0 lead.

After a really short Bobcat punt on their second possession, Pierre took over at the BHS 28 and scored on Peyton Zabel’s 15-yard run with 3:15 to play.

On their next possession, the ‘Cats went for it on fourth-and-5 from their own 25 and turned the ball over after an incomplete pass.

On the very next play, Zabel found Mike Lusk on a fly route for a 25-yard touchdown to push the margin to 21-0 after Williams’ PAT kick.

Pierre pushed the lead to 28-0 just 5 seconds into the second quarter when Zabel connected with Jack Maher from 9 yards out for a touchdown.

Midway through the second, the Governors blocked a punt in Bobcat territory and recovered the ball at the BHS 29-yard line.

Rohrbach capped that short drive with a 1-yard plunge as Pierre’s lead ballooned to 35-0 with 7:41 left in the half.

The Bobcats got on the scoreboard 3 1/2 minutes later when Parker Beers scored on a 7-yard run and Justin Devine converted the PAT kick.

Inside of a minute to play, Brookings recovered a Governor fumble on the Bobcat 11-yard line to send the game into intermission, 35-7.

Neither team found the end zone in the third quarter as Devine intercepted a Zabel pass attempt at the Bobcat 5-yard line to thwart one Pierre drive.

A 4-yard scoring toss from Nick Hardin to Tate Helmbolt just 5 seconds into the fourth quarter pulled the Bobcats within 35-14 following Devine’s successful PAT kick, but that would end the scoring on the night.

Beers carried 19 times for 50 yards, while Eidem chipped in with 58 yards on eight touches, including a 41-yard scamper late in the third quarter that set up the Bobcats’ second touchdown.

Devine added 15 yards on three rushes as Hardin completed 5-of-15 passes for 26 yards.

Rohrbach finished with 230 yards on 33 carries to lead Pierre’s ground attack while Zabel completed 7-of-13 passes for 106 yards.

Pierre, 7-3 on the season, awaits the winner of Douglas and Yankton, while the Bobcats end the 2017 campaign with a 2-8 mark.

Bob Grandpre photo