Prep Football: Alburnett 52, Pekin 13

ALBURNETT ? For two and a half quarters Friday, Pekin played as close to Alburnett as any team has this season.

But as Pekin found out Friday, it?s how a team finishes that matters most.

The Panthers trailed by seven points midway through the third quarter Friday before 32 unanswered points from Alburnett gave the Pirates a 52-13 victory and the Class 1A, District 6 crown.

On Alburnett?s opening drive Friday, it appeared Iowa?s leading high school rusher had met his match.

Mitchell Harger, who has rushed for 1,975 yards and 30 touchdowns this season, coughed the ball up on the fourth play from scrimmage. From there, Derek Morales scooped up the football to score on a 50-yard recovery and give Pekin a 6-0 lead.

Harger dusted himself off, however, and showed why he is Iowa?s top rusher. The 185-pound back scored the game?s next three touchdowns to swell Alburnett?s lead to 20-6 at halftime.

On the opening drive of the second half, Pekin quarterback Graham Wittrock scored with an 18-yard bootleg play to bring the score to 20-13 midway through the third quarter. But Harger scored once again on the ensuing drive, and the Panthers couldn?t find anything to stop the bleeding.

One more touchdown from Harger, who gained 211 yards on the ground Friday, as well as two rushing touchdowns from Colton Martin, finished off the Panthers.

Wittrock was 6-of-13 for 93 yards passing. Petie Clubb caught four passes for 65 yards, Josh Sterling had one catch for 22 yards and Bryce Sines caught one pass for six yards.

Quentin Garrels carried the ball 33 times for 177 yards.

The loss brings Pekin?s record to 4-4 overall and 4-2 in district play. However, the Panthers remain the district?s three seed headed into the final regular season game in Highland next Friday.