Outside The County-Peru
Results from Peru for Friday, August 25th
Tigers dominate Wildcats 42 to 6.
The Tigers opened their conference slate in dominating fashion over the visiting Whitko Wildcats en route to a 42 to 6 win.
Whitko won the coin toss and not much else on the night.
Peru received the opening kick and started their first drive on their own 15-yard line. 12 plays and 5 minutes and 23 seconds later, Senior Matthew Roettger hit Colorado State Bound Senior Braxton Stong for a 29-yard touchdown reception. Senior Fox Huppenthal converted the PAT.
Peru’s defense set the tone early as they forced Whitko to turn the ball over on their third play on offense. Junior Brantlee Edwards recovered the fumble on Whitko’s 21-yard line. Just over a minute later Roettger found the endzone again on an 11-yard run, Senior Hayden Oldaker was successful on the PAT giving the Tigers a 14 to 0 lead in the first quarter.
The Tigers defense kept the pressure up on the next drive by Whitko as well by driving the Wildcats backward and knocking down a pass forcing them to go 3 and out and punt.
Peru started their third drive of the first quarter on their own 46-yard line. A 15-yard run by Senior Alex Ross put the ball at the Whitko 39-yard line forcing the Wildcats to call their 2nd timeout of the half. This led Roettger to find Strong again for a 39-yard touchdown reception. Junior Landen Crowe converted the PAT and the Tigers led 21-0. Edwards wrapped up the first quarter by dropping the Wildcats quarterback with a sack.
Peru forced Whitko to take their final timeout just seconds into the 2nd quarter and then forced them to punt. This led to another 9 play 48-yard drive by the Tigers that was capped off by a 15-yard touchdown run by Senior Zach Smithers, Huppenthal with the PAT.
The Tigers’ defense continued to smother Whitko as Ross sacked the quarterback and Senior Griffin Wouster and Strong combined on another tackle for loss forcing Whitko to punt again. Peru took over on the opposing 45-yard line and capped off a 6-play drive with Senior Brady Hahn finding the endzone on a 4-yard run. Oldaker was successful with the PAT.
Junior Trevi Hillman-Conley intercepted a Whitko pass attempt to finish out the first half with the Tigers holding a commanding 35 to 0 lead. This ensured that the second half would start with the IHSAA Mercy Rule of a running clock.
The second half was more of the same from the Tigers’ defense. They forced Whitko to another 3 and out. This set up Peru’s last scoring drive of the game. They started at their own 16-yard line and marched 84 yards on 9 plays. Senior Avionne Jackson ran it in from 10 yards out leading Crowe to convert his second PAT of the evening, putting the home team up 42 to 0 and the end of the third quarter.
The Tigers had forced the Wildcats into -40 yards of total offense through three quarters. This led to many of the JV players to get their first taste of playing under the lights on a Friday night. Whitko was able to string together a 9-play 65-yard scoring drive capped off by a 1-yard run by Jack Hill. The 2-point conversion was not successful.
The win brings Peru to a 2-0 season record and 1-0 in the TRC. They are back in action next Friday night at Bengal Memorial Stadium against the new TRC, old MIC conference foe Lewis Cass Kings. Come out early and stop by the Bengal Backers tent for some excellent food and then settle in to cheer on the Tigers!!
