SK PIONEER SPORTS: Camels knock off undefeated Pioneers

Last night, the Pioneers (6-0) hosted the Campbell County Camels (2-3) for a battle that could possibly decide the district champion. SK got of to an early fourteen point lead but the Camels never quit and as the game wore on their running attack punished the Pioneer defense. The Camels scored with :45 left in the game and instead of kicking the PAT, they decided to go for the two point conversion and were successful. Final from Independence, 29-28.
The scoring got underway midway thru the first quarter when Chase Wilson picked off a Camel pass and proceeded to the house for a seventy yard TD. Swanson took it in for the conversion for a 8-0 lead with 6:56 left in the quarter.
The second quarter started the same way, Swanson picked off a pass and scored from thirty-five yards out but a holding penalty brought the ball back to the twenty-two yard line. On 4th and 11, Kuntz hit Grant Wassom for a twenty-three yard TD. The Pioneers failed to score the PAT but led 14-0 with 9:50 left in the half.
The Camels struck back quickly as they moved the ball sixty yards in five plays, they converted the PAT and SK led 14-7 with 7:13 left.
Campbell had one last chance to score before the half but the SK defense once again stepped up with their third interception of the half. This time Hunter Gregory pulled off the feat in the endzone with 10 seconds remaining. SK led at the half 14-7.
The Neers finally put a solid drive together to start the second half, moving the ball sixty-four yard before an interception in the endzone ended their drive. The Camels backed up agains the shadows of the goal posts converted a forty-three yard pass on 3rd and 16, then proceeded to punch it in the endzone. The Camel QB, Tyler Durham fumbled and they recovered. After converting the PAT they had tied the game at fourteen with 4:26 remaining in the third quarter.
With a little over a minute left in the quarter the Camels punted to the electrifying Jared Swanson came within a shoestring tackle of scoring. The SK coaches used a little trickery on the next play when Kuntz hit Jacob Huesman for a forty-four yard TD pass off the double flea-flicker. PAT good, SK led 21-14 with 47.5 seconds remaining in the quarter.
It took the Camels three minutes to score their next TD which came at the 9:45 mark of the 4th quarter. Tie game once again at twenty-one all. SK answered with a seven play, eighty yard drive, capped off with a beautiful twelve yard TD pass from Kuntz to Lars MacEntyre in the corner of the endzone. PAT good, 28-21 with 7:55 remaining.
The Camels did what I feared they could do. They leaned on their Senior QB, a 6'2" battering ram of a runner. Durham completed one pass on the drive and ran seven times. The last run, a 4th and two from the Pioneers' three yard line resulted in a score. Instead of going for the tie and possibly OT, Campbell lined up and went for the duece. Durham once again went over his right guard for the conversion. :45 left and the Camels took their first lead of the game. SK had one last shot but turned the ball over on downs to end the game.
A bitter defeat but the season is far from over. The Neers close out their regular season home schedule next Friday against the Boone County Rebels (1-6). Don't be fooled by Boone's record as they have played a very challenging schedule. The boys will need to learn from their mistakes tonight and I expect them to come out fired up for Senior Night. Come out and support the Pioneers at Chlorine B. Menefee.

Durham was a load.