Panthers to face high-powered ?Wapell-O?

Suddenly, the Pekin football team is on a roll.

A current three-game winning streak, including last week?s 90-0 stomping of Van Buren, has the Panthers 3-1 on the year heading into Friday?s District 5 tilt at home against Wapello. Wapello also enters Friday with a 3-1 record, but suffered that lone loss just one week ago at the hands of league heavyweight West Branch, 55-28.

Along with three wins, the Indians will bring to Packwood an offense that averages just less than 40 points a game led by senior quarterback Taylor Jacobsmeier. Jacobsmeier has taken the reigns of an offense in 2009 that is just about as balanced as they come with 777 yards picked up on the ground and 769 through the air. The aerial attack has already posted 13 touchdowns already opposed to zero interceptions on the year. Running back Dylan Schrader leads the way for the Indians on the ground averaging nearly seven yards per carry on 63 attempts this season as Wapello?s leading rusher.

However, Pekin boasts a defense that is allowing less than half of Wapello?s per game average on the scoreboard led by leading tackler Zach Mosbey on the defensive line. Coming down with his first pick of the season last week, Mosbey hopes to do the same to Jacobsmeier as he figures to cause his fair share of disruption in the Wapello backfield.

When Pekin has possession, the Panthers will rely heavily, as always, on their trio of running backs ? Hunter Maeder, Spencer Adam and Trenton Northup ? as well as quarterback Dalton Stone. Stone coming off a five touchdown performance last week will lead the Pekin offense that lit Wapello up for 62 points a season ago.

Friday?s kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Packwood.