\Friday night’s matchup between the Pieper Warriors and the SA Johnson Jaguars was a defensive chess match early, before Johnson’s offense found its rhythm and secured a hard-fought 31-22 victory.
First Quarter: Defensive Grind
The game opened with Pieper winning the coin toss and deferring to the second half, giving Johnson the first possession. Both teams traded punts in the opening drives, setting the tone for a defensive battle.
Momentum briefly swung in Johnson’s favor when Elijah Guajardo intercepted Pieper QB Tyler Johnson, but the Jaguars couldn’t capitalize, eventually punting again. Pieper’s offense also struggled, and a blocked punt by Johnson gave them excellent field position at the Pieper 36-yard line as the first quarter came to a close with no score.
Second Quarter: Big Plays Ignite the Offense
Johnson opened the scoring when Rayshun Hurt broke free for a 36-yard touchdown run (PAT good) to take a 7-0 lead.
Pieper responded instantly. QB Tyler Lacombe connected with Cash Lancaster for a 62-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.
The Jaguars regained control, moving downfield with a huge pass from Elvis Estrada to Braeyln Allen for 40+ yards. A would-be 56-yard touchdown was negated by a penalty, but Johnson settled for a 24-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead into halftime.
Third Quarter: Jaguars Pull Away
Johnson came out strong in the second half, forcing turnovers that flipped the game’s momentum.
• Ethan Wheelright grabbed his first interception of the night to stall a Pieper drive.
• Later, a Pieper fumble recovery by Cameron McDuffie set up Aaron Crawford’s 5-yard touchdown run, extending Johnson’s lead to 17-7.
• Wheelright struck again with a second interception, leading to Crawford’s second score of the night from 10 yards out, pushing Johnson’s lead to 24-7.
Pieper refused to back down. Lacombe hit his brother, Carson Lacombe, for a 25-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 24-14 heading into the final quarter.
Fourth Quarter: Closing the Door
The Jaguars methodically drove down the field, capping a long drive with a 5-yard rushing touchdown by Estrada to go up 31-14.
Pieper made it interesting late, as Lacombe threw a 5-yard touchdown to Lancaster and added a successful two-point conversion to close the gap to 31-22 with just over four minutes left.
The Warriors executed a perfect onside kick recovery, driving inside the Jaguars’ 20-yard line. A clutch pass to Andrew Grinestaff put them at the Johnson 8-yard line, but McDuffie delivered the dagger, intercepting Lacombe in the end zone to seal the Jaguars’ victory.
Key Takeaways:
• Johnson’s defense was relentless, forcing 5 turnovers (3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, and a blocked punt).
• Aaron Crawford powered the Jaguars’ offense with two touchdowns, while Ethan Wheelright’s two interceptions were game-changers.
• Tyler Lacombe’s poise kept Pieper alive, throwing three touchdowns and nearly leading a dramatic comeback.
The Jaguars move forward with momentum after this statement win, while Pieper showed resilience, nearly pulling off an incredible rally in the final minutes.
