Pine Bluffs proves up to the task at Shoshoni

SHOSHONI, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - The top two teams at 1A 9-Man squared off to begin the season in Shoshoni. Pine Bluffs made the trip north to take on the reigning state champion Wranglers and came away with a 34-26 victory.

The teams were nearly deadlocked at 7-6 with Pine Bluffs ahead entering the half, and the Hornets came out stinging in the second half. Quarterback Stuart Lerwick got things off on the right foot with an 11-yard touchdown run to put Pine Bluffs up 13-7, and Dalton Schaefer opened things up with a 43-yard touchdown run to make it 21-6 midway through the third quarter.

The Wranglers weren’t going away quietly though. Cannon Campbell hauled in a huge 35-yard pass from quarterback Alex Mills to keep a drive alive on the next possession, and Mills connected with Campbell again from nine yards out to push the score to 21-12 before the end of the third quarter.

Schaefer would tote the rock again in a big way for the Hornets. On the next possession, he took a handoff, went 41 yards to the house, and kept the momentum on Pine Bluffs’ side. That pushed the lead back up to 28-12.

He’d leave the game shortly afterward with an injury.

Pehton Truempler tried to carry the Wranglers back into the game. He scored his second rushing touchdown of the evening late in the fourth quarter to make it 28-18, but the Hornets held on for the big victory over the top-ranked team at 1A 9-Man entering the season.

For Pine Bluffs, Schaefer finished with 186 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Lerwick had 2 passing touchdowns, a rushing touchdown and an interception on defense to close out the first half.

On the Shoshoni side, Truempler finished with a pair of rushing touchdowns, and Mills had a pair of touchdowns through the air and an interception on the defensive side of the ball. Trey Fike grabbed nine catches for 144 yards and a touchdown.

Next up, Pine Bluffs will head Guernsey-Sunrise in Week Two, and Shoshoni will look to regroup hosting Greybull.

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