The #8 ranked Panthers entered the game 5-0 and Rockridge was coming off their first loss last week to Riverdale and it was their homecoming game.
The Panthers couldn’t stop the duo of quarterback Cullen Schwigen and running back Thomas Sowards. Schwigen is going to Western Illinois on a scholarship and Sowards is another senior with college aspirations. The two combined for 309 rushing yards against the vaunted Panther defense.
The Panthers suffered a significant injury loss on the second play of the game as standout running back and linebacker Tristan Hovey suffered a high ankle sprain and didn’t return to the game.
The Rockets garnered a couple first downs before having to punt and EP took over on their 34 yard line. EP wouldn’t gain a first down during the first quarter but did recover a fumbled punt on their 49. After 3 plays they faked a punt but did not gain the first so Rockridge took over on their own 44. Two plays later Schwigen found a receiver behind the Panther defense and connected from 47 yards out to make it 7-0 after one quarter.
Midway through the second quarter Panther, Evan Steimle connected with wideout Caleb Brown on a crossing pattern and Brown made a couple moves and out raced the Rockets for a 70-yard touchdown to get EP on the board. The extra point kick tied the score with 8:31 remaining in the half.
After a 3 and out, EP took over on their 29 and kept their momentum going. Steimle hit Lane Decker for 17 and Noah Wetzell broke through for a run of 20 yards. Steimle then scrambled and launched a 30 yard pass that Decker out jumped the defender for in the end zone to put EP up 14-7.
The hosts came right back and put together a nice drive of their own capped off by a tackle breaking 33-yard run by Sowards for six just before the half ended making it all even at 14 at the half.
The Panthers received the second half kick and put 3 first downs together driving in into Rocket territory but couldn’t convert on 4th and 8 from the Rocket 35. That would be the last first downs the Panthers would gain on the night.
Rockridge then put a drive together with 4 first downs and it ended with Schwigen scoring on a 2-yard keeper and it was Rockridge 21-14 at the 2:35 mark of the third. After another three and out by EP, the Rocket running game continued its success by picking up huge chunks of yardage and controlling the clock. The squad is noted for their passing game but ran the ball 26 out of their 27 plays in the second half and scored the final points of the game on a Soward 15-yard run with 10:09 remaining.
They also had a long drive that ended on the Panther 5 when time ran out.
EP was out rushed during the contest 309- 91. Passing yardage had EP with 126 and Rockridge 108. They had 15 first downs to the Panthers 5.
Head coach Tyler Whitebread was subdued after the contest but said “I thought our team did a tremendous job in the first half responding to the loss of Hovey. Both sides of the ball did a good job of responding. However, we never got any momentum in the second half. Both sides of the ball had breakdowns and you can’t have that against a Rockridge quality team.”
The Panthers return home next Friday to host Mercer County in Prophetstown at 7 pm.
Week #6 TRAC Scores
Riverdale 40 – Mercer Co. 7
Kewanee 21 – Princeton 6
Monmouth-Roseville 32 – Mendota 7
Hall 1 – Sherrard 0 Forfeit
Newman – Orion; Playing Saturday
