Rails top Pioneers move to State Semi’s

Photos By; Rod Behm

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

The Proctor Rails heading into Friday nights match up with Pierz had decided to go blonde as a team and with urging from his players head coach Derek Parendo agreed if they made it to the dome  he also would go blonde and with the Rails 19-6 victory over Pierz in the state AAA quarterfinals at Malosky Stadium coach Parendo will do just that as the Rails will prepared for their first ever state semi final appearance

Parendo told Northland Sports Online “there is a photo shop almost life size poster of me in the locker room with blonde hair and even though we all get a smile i think the kids seeing that they were not so intense about the game with Pierz as they played their hearts out and picked up the huge win.” As Parendo will get his hair color changed over the next few days the Rail can celebrate their first appearance in the state semi finals.

Joe Carter who rushed for 170 yards on the night started the Rails of with a 22 yard touchdown run which put the Rails in front 7-0 following a Cody Lewis extra point. The Rails on their next possession advanced the ball down to the 1 yard line and had first down and goal but the Rails were unable to convert that drive into any points

That was going to be a recurring theme over the next two and 1/2 quarters as the Rails put together successful drives that failed to put points on the scoreboard. While the offense was struggling to extend the lead it was the Rails defense which continued to step up for Proctor and the Rails defense continued to stop a heralded rushing attack of the Pioneers

“We used what we call pig” coach Parendo mentioned, “its a system where we put guys up at the line of scrimmage and the main job is to stop the Pioneers from getting the backs through the holes and our kids did a great job all night long.” The Rails used that pig pressure to stop, slow down a shut out that running attack which averaged over 280 yards per game and held them to 146 yards rushing.

The Rails scoring drought was ended late in the fourth quarter when Brodie Nordquist scored on a 29 yard touchdown run to put the Rails in front 13-0. That run was set up by a Jake Wick 56 yard run on a 3rd down and 8 deep in Rail territory as the Wick run allowed Nordquist to score on the very next play.

The Rails went up 19-0 when Calen Porter intercepted a Ethan Lochner pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown which sealed the win for the Rails. Pierz scored one touchdown late in the fourth quarter but it was too little to late as the Rails now move on to face St. Croix Lutheran at 2 pm next Saturday at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.