Pekin trounces Iowa Valley 51-0

PACKWOOD ? Needing a win in the worst way, Pekin did just that Friday and didn?t leave a sliver of doubt.

Friday?s 51-0 win over Iowa Valley snapped a three-game losing streak and kept slim postseason hopes alive for the Panthers heading into the final week of the regular season. Pekin now needs a win at home vs. Durant and some help from Eddyville-Blakesburg beating Belle Plaine to hang on those playoff wishes.

?It?s something we had to do. I think we have a good team and an outside chance of having a playoff team,? said head coach Tom Stone. ?If we can get it, I think we may be able to make a little noise, which would be fun, but we?ll have to wait and see.?

None of those scenario?s were on Pekin?s mind Friday however, as the Panthers rolled over the Tigers. While the goose egg on the scoreboard may be impressive enough, the Pekin defense held Iowa Valley to -24 yards of total offense for the game. Meanwhile, the Panther offense ripped through the Tigers for 573 yards of offense led by Trenton Northup?s 222 total yards and four touchdowns.

?It was real fun and it was pretty easy the way the line was opening up holes,? Northup said. ?I just had to get the ball and run.?

After a three-and-out on the first possession of the game, quarterback Dalton Stone?s 51-yard completion to Trey Sathoff got the Panther offense rolling. Northup later scored his first touchdown from three yards out, but it was only the beginning.

Iowa Valley didn?t pick up a first down until mid-way through the third quarter and quick Pekin stops put Stone and the Panther offense back on the field to build a quick lead. Northup ran in from 27 yards to make the score 12-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Following a rare Pekin punt early in the second, Sathoff blocked Iowa Valley?s punt attempt to the Panther in business once again. Stone found wide receiver Bryce Sines for an 18-yard scoring strike and Spencer Adam took one in from 35 yards out on Pekin?s next possession to open up a 25-0 lead heading into halftime. Stone finished the game 8-10 passing for 238 yards with additional touchdown passes to Northup and Zach Mosbey.

More of the same and more Pekin points came in the second half highlighted by Northup?s 55-yard burst to put the Panthers up 44-0 after three quarters.

?It means a lot to us because it?s our senior year and we want to play well on our home field,? said Northup. ? The coaches really got on us about playing with heart, and I think we stepped up and did that.?

While the offense put up mind-boggling numbers, the Pekin defense is what really put the game out of hand early. Austin Adam led the way with 11 tackles ? three for loss ? along with seven from the usually dominant Mosbey on the defensive line. Josh Sterling and Tyson Lamb also picked off Iowa Valley passes in the second half.

?That?s where we?ve been struggling most of the time ? scoring points usually isn?t our problem,? Stone said. ?We?ve moved some kids around to get a little more quickness in certain places.

?To be fair, we didn?t play a real strong ball club, but on the other side, when you say they weren?t getting past the line of scrimmage I?m pleased we could put that together.?

The Panthers move to 4-4 on the season and face another must win Friday at home against Durant.