When a high school football program is only in its third year of existence, progress is marked by big wins.

Friday night at the Pella High Stadium the Eagles posted perhaps their biggest win to date with a thrilling 24-20 win over Pleasantville.

The game was up for grabs for four quarters with both teams having moments of glory. The Pella Christian offense finally gained the lead with 5:05 left in the game when Mitch Fynaardt blasted into the end zone from seven yards out. Trey Hugen pounded the PAT kick through the uprights and the Eagles had a 24-20 lead. Now the outcome was placed squarely into the hands of the defense.

The PC defense had showed more resilience than a willow sapling all night and once again they would be bent almost double. The Trojans led by the running of Ryan Marsh and the passing of Bobby Beier marched the ball all the way to the Eagle 24 yard line. Beier went to the air again and found his favorite receiver, Scott Bacon, lurking near the goal line pylon.

Beier launched the pigskin and Bacon and Pella Christian defensive back Chase Carlson both went for the ball. Both players grabbed the football and in the ensuing tussle, Carlson ripped the ball away for an interception at the two yard line.

With the offense pinned at their own two and 2:16 left on the clock, Pella Christian needed to move the ball. Facing a third and four, James Blom broke to the outside for nine yards and a first down. The Trojans were out of time outs and that would be the ball game as a seismic roar erupted from the white-clad throng in the west bleachers.

The win puts the Eagles in a first place tie with Mount Ayr in district play and Pella Christian coach Rich Kacmarynski was pleased to be there.

“We may not be in the driver's seat yet,” Kacmarynski said. “But we are in the front seat with some tough games yet to play.”

The Trojans took the opening kickoff and marched to the Pella Christian 17 yard line where Carlson fell on a Pleasantville fumble. The Eagles failed to move the ball and a short punt gave the Trojans a short field at the Pella Christian 34. Eight plays later Marsh dove in from one yard out and Logan Rood booted the PAT for a 7-0 P-ville lead.

The Eagles got a nice return from Sam Tvedt and set up from their own 39. It took Pella Christian nine plays to cover the 61 yards and the score came on a four yard pass from Kyle Nikkel to Eli Groenendyk. Hugen was on the money and the score was tied at 7-7 with 1:02 left in the first period.

Pleasantville would break the tie early in the second stanza with a 26-yard pass play form Beier to Bacon. Rood's kick was good for a 14-7 PV lead with 9:15 left in the half.

After an Eagle punt, it appeared that the Trojans were on their way to the goal again with a march to the Pella Christian 10 yard line. It was big play time and Groenendyk responded by picking off a Trojan aerial and rumbling 65 yards to the Trojan 23. A pass from Nikkel to Blom provided a first down before the drive bogged down. Hugen would salvage three points with a booming 32-yard field goal to send the teams to intermission with the Trojans leading 14-10.

As the third period began it was apparent that there had been a discussion with the offensive line at halftime. The line responded by ripping some big holes in the Trojan defense for Fynaardt, Blom and Taylor Bandstra to run through. The result was a 12-play, 81-yard drive to paydirt with Fynaardt taking it in from 10 yards out. Hugen was good again for a 17-14 Pella Christian lead with 7:05 left in the third period.

The Trojans were not to be out done as they drove all the way to the Eagle six yard line before disaster struck. Marsh was stripped of the ball and Groenendyk came up with the football at the four yard line.

The Eagles moved for two first downs and then had to punt. This time a determined Marsh carried every down but one in a 59 yard drive to score. The kick was wide right and PV owned a 20-17 lead with 8:13 left in the game.