Pipestone scored with 45 seconds remaining to edge Jackson County Central 34-28 in the Section 3AA football championship game Friday at Mattke Field in Marshall.
With the game tied 28-28, the Huskies moved the ball to the Arrows’ five-yard line but were stopped there with 4:40 left to play. Pipestone then went 95 yards in nine plays for the winning score.
The Arrows scored the game’s first TD with 6:43 remaining in the first quarter, with JCC answering right back to score with Levi Lindley going in from three yards out with 4:07 left in the first. Neither team was able to make its two-point conversion attempt.
Each team scored two TDs in the second quarter.
Pipestone returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown and a 12-6 lead but the Huskies came up with the next two scores.
Will Freking went in from one yard out with 8:51 left in the half and Payton Handevidt went 86 yards for a TD with 6:29 to play. JCC made both two-point conversions to lead 22-12.
The Arrows would close the margin to 22-20 at halftime with a touchdown and two-point conversion with 5:19 remaining.
Gabe Wolff scored from one yard out with 1:31 left in the third quarter as the Huskies stretched the lead to 28-20.
Pipestone scored with 9:28 left and then added the final score in the last minute of play.
Jackson County Central outgained Pipestone 457 yards to 312. The Huskies had 349 yards rushing and 108 passing, while the Arrows had 101 and 211.
Handevidt led the Huskies in rushing with 163 yards on 10 carries, while Lindley had 88 yards on 21 carries.
Handevidt also had three catches for 43 yards. Roman Voss was 6-for-11 passing.
For Pipestone Kellen Johnson ran the ball 14 times for 89 yards and was 16-35 passing.
JCC ends its season with a 7-4 record.
The Arrows are 9-0 and will play Maple River in the first round of the state Class 2A playoffs next Friday at Hastings.
STATE CLASS 2A PLAYOFFS
Quarterfinals
Thursday
Barnesville (8-2) vs. Eden Valley-Watkins (9-1) at Alexandria, 7 p.m.
Minneapolis North (9-1) vs. Chatfield (10-1) at Rochester Mayo, 7 p.m.
Moose Lake/Willow River (8-0) vs. West Central Area/Ashby (9-1) at Brainerd, 7 p.m.
Friday
Pipestone (11-0) vs. Maple River (10-1) at Hastings, 7 p.m.