Pekin whips North Cedar, wins third straight

PACKWOOD ? In a crucial matchup between two of Class 1A, District 6?s top teams, Pekin did what it does best.

It ran the ball inside, it ran the ball outside and it ran the ball through the opposing team?s defense.

The Panther ground game accounted for 352 yards and five of the team?s six touchdowns, and Pekin avenged a 2010 loss to North Cedar with a 47-6 victory in Packwood.

The Panthers proved from the outset it was a different team than last year?s squad, which lost 27-0 to the Knights.

The Panthers? defense forced the Knights to punt on their first set of downs, and from there the team of Bryce Sines and Quentin Garrels took over. Sines rumbled for a score on Pekin?s first play from scrimmage, Garrels ran for another touchdown, and Sines caught a 73-yard pass from quarterback Graham Wittrock, all within the first quarter.

The duo continued to make noise in subsequent quarters. Sines scored one additional rushing touchdown and returned a kickoff for six, and Garrels scored twice more on carries.

Garrels finished the game with 136 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries, while Sines gained 100 yards on just five carries.

Meanwhile, the Panthers? defense shut down a North Cedar offense that came into the game averaging nearly 40 points and 235 rushing yards per game. North Cedar gained just 96 yards on 36 carries, and the Panthers led 47-0 after three quarters.

?It says a bunch about our defense to do that, to stop the run like that,? Pekin head coach Joe Donovan said. ?The players were in the right place at the right time so it was really a good team effort.?

Petie Clubb, in his first start at full back, added 77 yards on 17 carries and caught a pass for 11 yards. Graham Wittrock was 3-of-6 for 84 yards passing with one touchdown and scrambled four times for 33 yards.

On defense, Josh Sterling had a team-high seven tackles. Zach Lemay and Derek Morales both sacked the quarterback, and Jordan Hagedon and Eli Harper had one interception apiece. Bailey Donovan recovered a fumble.

The win accomplishes what Pekin has been searching for: a statement win against a strong team and gives the Panthers the division?s No. 3 spot.

?It?s the win we?ve been looking for. Our kids know they can play with anybody now,? said Donovan. ?We didn?t want to be the four seed and to do it over a team like North Cedar in that fashion, it was just a good win for our program.?

Bragging rights and even more playoff positioning will be on the line Friday when Pekin hosts against undefeated Alburnett.