Pirates win 56-12 at Troy
The Prairie Pirates broke open a close game in the second quarter and went on to win 56-12 in their non-league season opener at Troy Friday, August 21.
It didn’t take Prairie long to get on the scoreboard. Isaiah Warren returned the opening kickoff 24 yards to the Prairie 40. On their first play from scrimmage, quarterback Kade Quintal tossed a pass to Cooper Riener along the left sideline and Riener went the distance for a 60-yard scoring play. Quintal then passed to Sam Rehder for the 2-pointer to give Prairie an 8-0 lead just 15 seconds (approximately as the scoreboard operator failed to start the clock) into the game.
Troy came right back with a 10-play, 75 yard scoring drive with Hinder Hurst carrying the ball on 7 of those 10 plays. Quarterback Payton Christensen scored the touchdown from the 11. The 2-point run was stopped short leaving Prairie with an 8-6 lead.
Prairie’s second possession started well as Payton Stamper ran 2 times for a total of 24 yards and Quintal completed a pass for 15 yards to Riener to move to the Troy 16 yard line. A fumble on the next play stopped the drive with Troy recovering at their own 18.
Troy got a 31 yard pass completion to Hurst then their drive stalled. Lane Mader broke through and sacked Christensen for a 12 yard loss which led to a fourth and 19 at the Prairie 35. Riener almost intercepted the fourth down pass and likely would have gone the distance if he had. However Prairie wound up taking over on downs at their own 35.
Quintal ran a keeper on first down for 17 yards then passed to Riener for 32 to end the first quarter. On the first play of the second quarter, Stamper took a pitchout to the left and went 16 yards for a Prairie touchdown. The 2-point pass failed which left Prairie with a 14-6 lead.
Troy’s ensuing possession led to a punt after 3 plays netted -1 yard. Riener caught the punt at the Prairie 20 and returned it 49 yards to the Troy 31. Stamper again took a pitchout to the left and this time scored from 31 yards out. The 2-point run failed, leaving Prairie with a 20-6 lead.
A penalty against Troy on the touchdown let Prairie kick off from the Troy 45. Mader’s kickoff went into the end zone for a touchback. A holding penalty and a loss of 8 by Christensen when Ashton Martin tackled him for loss had Troy facing third and 23 from the 7. A 16 yard pass completion made it third and  7, Troy then went for it on fourth down and had two receivers in the same area downfield. Prairie deflected the pass from the deeper receiver and Hurst, trailing the play, caught the ball for a 45 yard gain. After a false start penalty, Christensen completed a pass to Lincoln Morone for 30 yards and a touchdown. The 2-point try failed, closing the score to 20-12 with 6:13 left in the half.
Prairie started their next drive at their own 40 after a 28 yard kickoff return by Warren. Stamper gain 2 up the middle then Quintal connected with Warren for 49 yards on a deep pass over the middle. He was tackled at the 9. Quintal ran for 7 on the next play to set up second and goal at the 2. Marshall Weber then went up the middle for the touchdown. Quintal passed to Riener for the 2-pointer to make it 28-12.
A 10 yard penalty and a 5 yard loss led to a Troy punt on fourth down. Riener returned the punt 31 yards to the Troy 34.
After an incompletion, Weber took the ball around right end for 34 yards and his second touchdown of the game. Quintal ran in the 2-pointer to make it 36-12.
Troy again had to punt and Prairie took over at the Troy 49. A screen pass to Stamper gained 31 yards to the Troy 18 but the drive stalled and Troy took over on downs at their own 20.
Mader and Martin combined to sack Christensen for a 10 yard loss to end the half.
Troy received the opening kickoff of the second half and put together a time-consuming 12 play drive. They converted twice on fourth and long but couldn’t convert a third time. Prairie took over on downs at their own 23.
For the first time in the game, Prairie was unable to gain a first down and turned the ball back to Troy at the 24. Troy gained just 2 yards in 4 plays and Prairie got the ball back at their 22.
Weber gained the Pirates initial first down of the half with a 17 yard sweep to the left. After an incompletion, Rehder gained 15 yards  to move the ball to the Prairie 49. Quintal gained 5 and Weber added 8 for another first down. Weber added 9 more yards. Warren fumbled but Rehder recovered to set up third and inches. The teams then traded 5 yard penalties with Quintal then running a quarterback sneak for 3 yards and a first down.
A false start penalty start the fourth quarter then Quintal connected with Rehder for 30 yards and the first touchdown of the second half. Warren caught the 2-point pass to make it 44-12. Three times in the game Prairie scored on the first play from scrimmage of a quarter.
Troy was forced to punt with Prairie getting the ball back at their own 40. Rehder went in at quarterback for the rest of the game. He was sacked on his first dropback for a 10 yard loss setting up third and 18. He passed to Riener down the right side for 11 yards then Stamper converted the first down with a 19 yard run over the left side. Rehder passed to Weber for 31 yards to set up first and goal at the 7. On the next play, Stamper went up the middle for the touchdown. The 2-point run came up short making it 50-12.
Troy was forced to punt again and the punt wound up hitting one of their own lineman with prairie taking over at the Troy 20. Stamper needed just 1 carry for his fourth touchdown of the game. The 2-point pass fell incomplete making it 56-12.
Troy was able to pick up 3 first downs and moved the ball to the Prairie 43. Trajan Elven sacked Christensen on what turned out to be the final play of the game.
Prairie had 226 yards rushing in the game led by Stamper who had 119 yards on 11 carries with 4 touchdowns. Weber had 70 yards on 8 carries and Quintal had 31 yards on 5 carries.
Quintal was 6 for 14 for 217 yards passing with 2 touchdowns. Rehder was 2 for 2 for 42 yards.
Riener caught 4 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. Warren caught 1 for 49. Stamper and Marshall each caught 1 for 31 and Rehder caught 1 for 30 yards and a touchdown.
Prairie is no 1-0 on the season. Their first home game is this Friday, August 28, against Deary at 7 p.m.
Prairie 8 28 0 20 -56
Troy    6  6 0   6 -12
P-Riener 60 pass from Quintal (Rehder pass from Quintal) 11:45 1^st
T-Christensen 11 run (run failed) 6:50 1^st
P-Stamper 16 run (pass failed) 11:52 2^nd
P-Stamper 31 run (run failed) 9:25 2^nd
T-Morone 30 pass from Christensen (run failed) 6:13 2^nd
P-Weber 2 run (Riener pass from Quintal ) 4:43 2^nd
P-Weber 34 run (Quintal run) 2:24 2^nd
P-Rehder 30 pass from Quintal (Warren pass from Quintal) 11:47 4^th
P-Stamper 7 run (run failed) 7:38 4^th
P-Stamper 20 run (pass failed) 6:40 4^th