Gunter overcomes turnover woes to pull away from Paul Pewitt

Tied with Omaha Paul Pewitt at the half, Gunter went back to its basics and cruised to a 43-22 win to claim its second 3A Division II state championship in four years.

The Tigers, who run the ball about 90 percent of the time, threw a pair of second-quarter interceptions that helped Pewitt erase a 22-8 deficit. Head coach Jake Fieszel’s halftime adjustments included taking the page of the playbook that included passes and leaving it in the locker room.

Gunter snapped the ball 29 times in the second half and ran the ball every time. Clayton Reed, Bryson Rigsby and Peyton Lowe battered Pewitt’s defense relentlessly, grinding their way to 187 yards.

Reed scored twice in the first half and finished with a game-high 119 yards on 17 carries. Lowe scored twice in the second half while rushing for 88 yards, including the go-ahead score in the third quarter. Rigsby added 99 yards as Gunter rolled up 361 yards.

While the Tigers’ offense got rolling, its defense continued to frustrate Pewitt’s powerful rushing attack. Averaging more than 400 yards per game during the season, the Brahmas managed just 130 Thursday night. Lowe, the game’s defensive MVP, led the way with 10 tackles, including three in the backfield. Josh Magers added nine stops.

Gunter (15-1) jumped on Pewitt (14-2) early. The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched 70 yards in seven plays capped by Reed’s 12-yard run. After forcing a Pewitt punt, the Tigers needed just 2:18 to march 82 yards, sparked by Reed’s 38-yard run. Hudson Graham’s keeper pushed the lead to 14-0.

After the teams traded touchdowns, Pewitt got back into the game by capitalizing on Gunter’s passing. Kadrien Johnson’s highlight-reel, zig-zagging, 75-yard interception return brought the Brahmas within 22-14, and his second interception set up his one-yard touchdown run with 10 seconds left in the half to tie the game.

But Fieszel’s halftime adjustments worked like a charm, and Gunter’s defense made sure Pewitt’s powerful rushing attack never got rolling.

“We let it slip away but we left it out on the field and that’s all I can ask from them,” Pewitt coach Triston Abron said.

- Jay Plotkin

VIDEO RECAP

BOX SCORE

Gunter              14         8         7          14 - 43

Paul Pewitt       8          14        0          0 -   22

Scoring

1st quarter

Gunter-Clayton Reed 12 run (Logan Hubbard kick)

Gunter-Hudson Graham 1 run (Hubbard kick)

Pewitt-Cross Holder 1 run (Kadrien Johnson pass from Holder)

2nd quarter

Gunter-Reed 1 run (Graham run)

Pewitt-Johnson 75 interception return (pass failed)

Pewitt-Johnson 1 run (Holder run)

3rd quarter

Gunter-Peyton Lowe 4 run (Hubbard kick)

4th quarter

Gunter-Bryson Rigsby 4 run (Hubbard kick)

Gunter-Lowe 9 run (Hubbard kick)

Team Stats        Gunter Pewitt

First Downs       23        10

Rushes-Yards    56-361  42-130

Passing Yards    34        44

Passing 2-4-2    5-12-1

Fum-Lost          1-0       3-0

Pen-Yards         1-15     4-30

Punts-Avg         1-30     4-42.3

Individual Leaders

Gunter

Rushing: Clayton Reed 17-110, 2 TDs; Bryson Rigsby 18-99, TD; Peyton Lowe 10-88, 2 TDs; Hudson Graham 6-36, TD

Passing: Graham 2-4-2-34

Receiving: Reed 1-20; Ethan Sloan 1-14

Pewitt

Rushing: Kei’untray Hawkins 5-48; LaJathan Allen 15-44; Cross Holder 13-24, TD; Kadrien Johnson 8-14, TD

Passing: Holder 5-12-1-44

Receiving: Allen 3-39; Tanor Mines 1-6; Johnson 1-(minus 1)