By Matt M. Stutz
The #9 seeded Pandora-Gilboa High School football team opened their 2022 playoff run on the road, overwhelming their hosts, the #8 seeded Upper Scioto Valley Rams (8-3), through the air and on the ground. Following a low scoring first half, the Rockets flew away, winning by a final of 42-8 in OHSAA Division VII Region 26 football action.
P-G got off to a rough and slow start, throwing an interception on their first play from scrimmage. Following a scoreless first quarter, the Rockets jumped ahead 14-0 by halftime as freshman quarterback Cory Gerten completed a pair of second quarter touchdown passes. The first one went for 65-yards to Aidan Morris. He then connected on a 6-yard touchdown pass play with 1:30 left in quarter number two to Colin Harris. Elam Suter split the uprights on both of his first half kicks.
The Rockets started the second half similar to their slow first half start. This time a fumble deep in their own territory had the home team threatening. The Rams were making some noise facing a 4th and 2 at the Rockets twelve-yard line. The P-G defense held them to only a one-yard gain and from there the offense asserted themselves for the rest of the third quarter.
Running back Ethan “Freight Train” Luginbill controlled the ground game in that momentum changing third quarter, as he amassed 23 rushing attempts for 183 yards on the night. In the process, Luginbill broke the school rushing record for yards in a season, previously held by the great Nathan Sprunger for over thirty years, at 1712 yards and counting.
Luginbill would score his first of two touchdowns in that pivotal third quarter following the 4th down stop by the Rockets defense to go up 21-0. The second was sandwiched around the Rams lone score, as P-G went up 28-8. Luginbill scored on runs of 2 yards and 16 yards, as Suter stayed perfect on the night kicking extra points.
P-G took control and put the game away in the 4th quarter as Morris intercepted a Ram pass attempt early in the last stanza, giving the ball back to the Rocket offense. Gerten promptly found Harris open, this time from 22 yards out for the touchdown, stretching out to a 35-8 advantage.
The Rockets were led in the air by Gerten who threw 21-29 for 353 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Morris caught 11 for 189 yards on the night as classmate Colin Harris hauled in 9 for 140 yards.
With under five minutes left in the game, the final nail in the coffin was struck by fullback Wyatt Russell, who rumbled 31 yards up the middle for the final touchdown of the game. Suter ended the game a perfect 6-6 on PAT kicks.
Next up, the #9 seeded Rockets (8-3) will move on to play a familiar playoff opponent, traveling to fellow Blanchard Valley Conference rival and #1 seeded McComb (10-1) in the Division VII Region 26 semi-finals this Friday night at 7:00 p.m. P-G and McComb faced off already this season in week 5, with the visiting Panthers sneaking away with a 35-28 come-from-behind win. The rematch should be a dandy.
