PIERRE – Aberdeen Central scored in final minutes to capture a 2-1 boys’ soccer victory over Pierre in the season opener for both squads Friday night. Gus Bjerknes provided the game-winner with about six minutes remaining in the Eastern South Dakota Conference contest.

The Golden Eagles started off the game with a rare break in the opening seconds.

“We started the game and they played the ball back to their goalkeeper and it slipped under his foot and into the back of the net in like the first 15 seconds of the game,” said Central coach Lance Mohr. “We didn’t even know what happened. It was kind of surprising.”

Pierre got the equalizer about 20 minutes later and the game remained tie until Central’s closing heroics.

“We didn’t get off the bus very well,” Mohr said. “The first 20 minutes was kind of like finding out what it was like to play another varsity team. And then after that, the last 60 were much better. It was pretty back and forth.”

The Golden Eagles eventually broke through with the game-winning goal from Bjerknes off a feed from Linus Johnson.

“We created some chances and just didn’t get one until 5-6 minutes left,” Mohr said. “It was a good goal for these guys to get, just being in a tight game right off the bat and getting a win.”

Mohr pointed out the goaltending of Zander Kuhfeld, who stopped more than a half dozen shots in the victory.

“Zander had a lot of good saves tonight,” Mohr said. “He played really well.”

Mohr said even though it the first game for both teams, the contest felt much differently because of its intensity.

“It was not a first game of the season type feel,” he said. “It felt a lot more meaningful.”

Central has its home opener against Sioux Falls Jefferson at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Brownell Activities Complex. Mohr noted that the squad did not play well against the Cavaliers a year ago and would like to change that this time.

“Last year we gave up some bad goals and the game got away from us down there,” Mohr said, “so we’re looking forward to playing them up here.”