Zane Trace with a statement victory against Piketon
By: Ben Axelrod
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PIKETON, Ohio (WOUB) – Zane Trace and Piketon came into this game hungry to win a big SVC conference matchup. Zane Trace looked dominant to start this game, and never looked back as it cruised its way to a big victory over Piketon, 42-6.
Zane Trace started the game with great field position as Jayden Higgins returned the opening kickoff to Piketon’s 40-yard line. The Pioneers were able to capitalize on the great field position as RB Bryce Johnson finished off their first offensive drive with a 16-yard rushing touchdown to make it 7-0 Zane Trace. Piketon got the football back, but Zane TraceDB Grady Stewart ended up picked off a pass, taking it all the way to the end zone for a pick-6, making it a quick 14-0.
Zane Trace later blocked a Piketon punt to set itself up in good field position again for another offensive drive. On that drive, the Pioneers ran the ball well, leading to a 15-yard touchdown run by QB Gunnar McCullough with just over three minutes left in the first quarter to make it 21-0 Pioneers.
Piketon got something going at the beginning of the second quarter, as the Red Streaks put together a good drive, capped off by RB Tanner Loar earning a 4-yard rushing touchdown to cut the Pioneers’ lead to 21-6.
Later on in the second quarter, the Pioneers found a way to score again as Stewart caught a short pass at around midfield, beating Red Streak defenders to take it all the way to the end zone for a long receiving touchdown. That gave Zane Trace a 28-6 lead.
Towards the end of the first half, it looked like Zane Trace had another good drive going, but on a Pioneers run, they fumbled the football, and Kendan Day of the Red Streaks recovered it. Time would then run out in the first half, and the Pioneers led the Red Streaks 28-6 at the break.
To start the third quarter, Piketon took the ball deep into Pioneers territory, but Red Streaks QB Luke Gullion threw an interception to Zane Trace DB Mason Hartley who took it all the way to the end zone for the Pioneers second pick-6 of the game, giving Zane Trace a commanding 35-6 lead midway through the third quarter.
The Red Streaks got the football deep into Pioneers territory on another drive but they went for it on fourth down, coming up with nothing. Right after that, McCollough launched a ball deep down the field to Higgins for a long receiving touchdown to make it 42-6 Zane Trace at the end of the third quarter.
Later in the fourth quarter, Nolan Childers picked off another pass for Piketon, giving it its first takeaway of the game. However, time ended up winding down and the Zane Trace Pioneers held on for a 42-6 win.