Panthers Win 40-38 Overtime

Josh Kibble Pickford Decision Over Wolverines

Pickford played in its second consecutive overtime game, but, unlike its first, the Panthers came away with a 40-38 non-conference win over White Pine of Ontario Friday, September 19, by denying a two point conversion that would have tied the game.

During the gridiron contest, each team scored six touchdowns, while the Panthers made two conversions for two points and the Wolverines one two-pointer.

The Panthers opened the scoring at the 8:41 mark of the first quarter on a McKinley Portice-to- Shawn Rader seven-yard scoring pass. Rader rushed for the twopoint conversion to set the score at 8-0.

Portice plunged over from the one-yard line and White Pine scored three second-quarter touchdowns to take a 20-14 halftime advantage.

Portice scored his second touchdown from the one-yard line at 9:42 of the third quarter to tie the score at 20-20, before the teams traded scores to send the game into overtime, tied at 32-32, as Rader scored two touchdowns on runs of 23 and 17 yards for Pickford.

Zack Mortinsen Pickford In the extra session that started from the 10- yard line, Rader scored on the first play and Dylan Rye added the key two-point conversion.

White Pine answered on a scoring pass, but the Panthers defense stuffed the Wolverines on the two-point conversion from the three-yard line to earn the two-point (40-38) victory.

Panthers offensive statistics: Josh Kibble, 23 carries for 171 yards, one reception for 16 yards; McKinley Portice, eight-of-19 passing for 120 yards; Zack Mortinsen, four receptions for 79 yards; Mickael Cantin, seven carries for 57 yards; Shawn Rader, seven carries for 46 yards, one reception for seven yards; Dylan Rye, 10 carries for 21 yards, two receptions for 26 yards.

Panthers defensive statistics: Zach Derinski, eight tackles; Shawn Rader, Jon Kelley (pass interception), seven tackles; Tyler Kauffman, six tackles; McKinley Portice, Dylan Rye, Ben Eckola, five tackles; Matt Beard, four tackles; Josh Kibble, three tackles; Zack Mortinsen, two tackles.

The Panthers, 2-2 on the season, will entertain Bark River- Harris Friday, September 26.

Arik Hesselink Rudyard Rudyard Blanks Newberry

28-0 in SAC Contest

Rudyard bounced back after a Straits Area Conference (SAC) defeat during the third week to blank Newberry 28-0 in a league game Friday, September 19.

The Bulldogs, 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the SAC, led 14-0 at halftime after Arik Hesselink scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak. The junior signal caller completed a 10-yard scoring pass to Todd Anderson and Rudyard added the twopoint conversion.

Rudyard's running game took control in the second half with an 18-play, 81- yard scoring drive that was capitalized on with a Brady Burby one-yard score. Jerrod Clark converted the two-point conversion for a 22-0 advantage.

The Bulldogs' final score came on a 24-yard scoring pass from Hesselink to Clark, but the key for Rudyard was keeping the ball away from Newberry with its offensive control.

Bulldogs offensive statistics: Jerrod Clark, 18 carries for 137 yards, two receptions for 53 yards; Brady Burby, 19 carries for 91 yards; Arik Hesselink, six-of-seven passing for 85 yards; Todd Anderson, three receptions for 25 yards.

Jerrod Clark Rudyard Bulldogs defensive statistics: Ron Coffey, eight tackles; Aaron Diepenhorst, Jake Bywater, Jerrod Clark (one pass interception), Brady Burby, four tackles; Bill DeYoung, one pass interception.

Rudyard will entertain St. Ignace Friday, September 26, in a key SAC match-up.

Pellston Downs Onaway

19-14 for First Win

First-year Pellston Coach Dave Brines earned his first win as his Hornets defeated Onaway 19-14 during a Ski Valley Conference (SVC) match-up Friday, September 19.

"The difference was we made key plays at critical times on both offense and defense, and we continue to play hard," said Coach Brines.

The Hornets opened the scoring on a 45-yard pass combination from Josh Schmalzried to Dylan Darrow. Jake Burkhart kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead before the Cardinals tied the score at 7-7 after the first quarter.

Pellston took a 13-7 halftime lead on an Andy Hamlin 15-yard touchdown and, in the third quarter, Hamlin rambled 30 yards to set up a 10-yard scoring pass from Schmalzried to Darrow to increase the Hornets' lead to 19-7.

Dylan Darrow Pellston Onaway cut into Pellston's lead to 19-14 in the fourth quarter and was set to score the winning touchdown, however, Darrow, one of the co-op players from Mackinaw City, batted down a pass in the end zone on the final play of the game to preserve the victory.

Hornets offensive statistics: Josh Schmalzried, eight-of-10 passing for 146 yards, two touchdowns; James Boeltner, 33 carries for 101 yards; Dylan Darrow, four receptions for 78 yards; Andy Hamlin, two carries for 45 yards, two receptions for 44 yards; Ben Huyck, one reception for 15 yards; Aaron Minzey, one reception for 14 yards.

Hornets defensive statistics: Brian Yerek, 12 tackles; Jake Freed, 10 tackles, one fumble recovery; Dylan Darrow, six tackles, one pass interception; Andy Hamlin, Willie Vieau, six tackles; Alan Huyck and Ben Huyck, five tackles.

The Hornets entertain Mancelona in an SVC game Friday, September 26.

Eagles Fall to Nordics 72-30

Philip Hood Engadine Engadine dropped a 72-30 Mid-Eastern Football League decision to North Dickinson Friday, September 19.

The Nordics scored first for a 6-0 lead before Phillip Hood and Killian Frisch combined on a 12-yard scoring pass at the 9:09 mark to notch the score at 6-6.

North Dickinson answered with three touchdowns for a 28-6 and, on the ensuing kick off, Hood dashed 81 yards for the touchdown. Michael Klobucher caught the two-point conversion pass to cut the Nordics' lead to 28-14 lead after the first quarter.

The Nordics added three secondquarter touchdowns for a 50-14 halftime advantage.

The Eagles' final two touchdowns came on scoring passes as Hood completed a 45- yard strike to Klobucher and 55 yards to David Fowell, while North Dickinson scored three second half touchdowns.

Eagles offensive statistics: Phillip Hood, nine carries for 134 yards, six-of-17 passing for 87 yards, two receptions for 63 yards; David Fowell, five of nine passing for 77 yards, three carries for 24 yards; Michael Klobucher, four receptions for 70 yards; Ryan Draper, one reception for 40 yards; Killian Frisch, four receptions for 27 yards.

David Fowell Engadine Eagles defensive statistics: Killian Frisch, 23 tackles (school record); Tim Rose, nine tackles, one fumble recovery; Michael Sawyer, nine tackles; David Fowell, eight tackles, Ryan Draper, Phillip Hood, Allan Browning, Kyle Franklin, seven tackles.

The Eagles will travel to Rapid River to battle the Rockets Friday, September 26.