Pierz vs. Little Falls

I attended my first guys game of the year Tuesday night, traveling to Little Falls to watch LF/Pierz. I brought along my dad and we made the 30 mile trek to the north.

Great atmosphere, I love the LF gym, even though in my three years playing there, I never had more than 12 points in a game against them, they had a packed house, good sound system, and they have a solid concession stand. LF girls were just getting done defeating the Pierz girls in what must have been a boys/girls doubleheader.

It turned out to be a fantastic game, Pierz led for much of the 1st half, with 3 LF kids and 2 Pierz kids spending most of the 1st half on the bench with fouls. I really am against how close they call things, especially in outstate, and in small towns like LF. Unfortunatly this game was decided in the end by a game of attrition, and both teams had multiple guys foul out. Anyways, off my soap box, Pierz is up 9 at the break as seniors Breck Weber and Tyler Monson are having big games. Neither of their games are real pretty, but Weber's jumper is, and Monson plays as hard as anyone in the state. Great spark off the bench by Mark Eno for Pierz, he is clearly their best guard, and played a big role for the Pioneers.

With 9 minutes to go in the second half LF is in major foul trouble as both Kornbaum's, and Erdich have 3 or 4 fouls. LF coach starts subbing O for D and putting on heavy man pressure. It doesn't get many steals, but takes Pierz out of what they want to do. Before you know it we go to OT. Now to be honest I left before it was done, I had a long drive home and I had to work in the morning early, but Pierz dominates OT and wins by 9.

I thought Danny K and Ronnie K were very good and only foul trouble stopped them from even better things, Erdich struggled with fouls, and Scott was a big reason LF even got to OT. For Pierz, they just play so hard, and even though for the second time in three years their best player blew out his knee, they respond and play hard for coach Stumpf. Fun rivalry game, and good for Pierz to pull the minor upset.