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Pekin football knocked off
North Linn’s defense, big plays too much for Panthers
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
PACKWOOD — Three Plays decided the Class A Round of 16 showdown at Pekin High School, and they all followed the same script.
North Linn quarterback Will Sommerfelt completed three touchdown passes, all on 4th and long, and the 10th-ranked Lynx eliminated the 7th-ranked Panthers 21-3, ending what was a perfect 9-0 Pekin season.
Defense dominated for both teams, but North Linn was able to burn the Pekin defense once in the first quarter, one in the third and once more in the fourth.
After a bad snap on a fake punt, Sommerfelt hit receiver Macoy Winn on a 7-yard touchdown pass on 4th and goal midway through the first quarter. That was the only touchdown of the first half.
Pekin's only points came in the second quarter, when Henry Adam connected on a 33-yard field goal, which he set up with an 74-yard interception return. Adam picked off a pass on his own 15-yard line, and weaved all the way downfield, eventually going down at the North Linn 9.
Pekin’s offense was then pushed back to the 16, setting up Adam’s kick, which made the score 7-3 North Linn before halftime.
In the second half, Sommerfelt connected on two more fourth-and-long plays. In the third, he checked down to running back Brady Martin on a 22-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-13. Then, in the fourth, he found Braden Whatley for a 12-yard score on 4th and 10.
“Our defense was solid all night, and at the end of the day, it came down to a few plays,” said Pekin head coach Klynt Weber. “Ultimately, your defense can hold so much, but our offense didn’t produce tonight.”
Down the stretch, Pekin tried to pull out all the stops, nearly connecting on a halfback pass and a hook-and-ladder in the fourth quarter, but unlike in its first nine games of the year, the offense just couldn’t click in the 10th.
“Their defense got better all night long, and they were just on fire all fourth quarter,” Weber said. “We didn’t have an answer.”
Riley Smith threw for 34 yards in the loss, 32 of which went to Adam on four catches. Nolan Glick ran for 25 yards.
Defensively, Adam led the team with 7.5 tackles and the team’s only interception, while Landon Crow ended the night with seven.
Despite the loss, it was a historic year for Pekin, as the Panthers went 8-0 in the regular season, continuing the rise from a winless season in 2021, and advancing to the Round of 16 for the second-straight season.
“They never quit,” said Weber. “We might have been beaten in two games earlier this season, and we clawed out of some holes, but we found a way to win, captured a district title and had a convincing Round 1 playoff win. I still think the program took a step forward this year.”
North Linn (9-1) will take on No. 1 Saint Ansgar in the Class A quarterfinals.
