New Lexington extends win streak to 5 over Tri-Valley
By: Max Earl
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DRESDON, Ohio (WOUB) – The New Lexington Panthers (4-0) came into Jack Anderson Stadium to test their undefeated record against the Tri-Valley Scotties (3-1). A big nonconference game for both teams, the Scotties in the MVL-Big and the Panthers from the MVL-Small. Both teams are reigning conference champs for their respective conferences, but it would be the Panthers who won, thanks to their strong defense and potent run game, the final score being 29-7.
New Lexington would start the game winning the coin toss and wanting the ball first. Their returner would muff the kickoff, and Tri-Valley would jump on it, giving them the ball first with good field position. From there, RB Levi Wade would start the drive with some strong runs and would ultimately punch it in from two yards out, giving them their first points of the game. 7-0 to start for the Scotties.
The Panthers fielded the next kickoff cleanly and started their first drive of the night from their own 27. They would start with an impressive deep shot to WR Tanner Toth, which would have been a 40-yard catch; however, offsetting penalties would mean it would be called back for a redo of the play. And even after a 20-yard scramble by QB Lane Rateliff. On fourth-and-inches, the Scotties would stop the Panthers, and they would turn it over on downs.
But the Tri-Valley possession wouldn’t last long, as on the first play of the drive, Scotties QB Stone Spiker threw an interception right to Toth. The Panthers would take over around midfield, and a throw to RB Colton Mathias on the first play would get the Panthers inside the red zone. From there, a slant pass to Tyson Spicer would be caught, he would make a man miss, and he would stroll into the red zone to tie it up for the Panthers.
Tri-Valley would get to start their next drive at midfield, and they would move it all the way down inside the 10. But the Panthers defense would bend but not break and they would force a turnover on downs at their own 10.
Rateliff would get the Panthers drive going with a 20-yard run. From there RB Paul Stenson would get a couple strong runs, and it would end in him barreling into the end zone from 3 yards and the extra-point would make it 14-7 Panthers.
It would be an uneventful couple of drives until the final two minutes of the half where a Scotties pass would be caught by WR Ryan Lamonica to get them all the way to the Panthers 30-yard line. But, on the following play, Spiker was hit by the Panthers defensive line and threw a wobbly through right to Toth, who got his second interception of the night. From there, time would run out and the score at half would be 14-7 New Lexington.
The second half would see the Panthers defense continue to stand strong and they wouldn’t allow another Tri-Valley score for the rest of the game. The Panthers run game would allow them to run up the score and the Panthers would win 29-7.