Outside The County-Peru

Results from Peru for Friday, September 29th

10 Tigers vanquish Knights 61-7 to remain undefeated.

The Tigers celebrated their 16 Seniors tonight as well as the last regular season game in Bengal Memorial Stadium. The stadium is scheduled to be torn down and remodeled after the season.

The Tigers took the opening kick and wasted little time. They went 65 yards on 3 plays in just over a minute of game time. Senior Braxton Strong got the scoring started with an 18-yard run. The 2 point attempt was no good. Peru led 6-0. This started what would be the Tigers scoring early and often.

Southwood’s first drive stalled after 2 yards on 3 plays and they were forced to punt. This would be the story of the first half for the Knights as the Tigers’ D set a tone.

Peru then went 37 yards on 6 plays, capped off by Senior Matthew Roettger finding Senior Isaac Beam on a 10-yard pass route for a score. Junior Landen Crowe covered the PAT. Peru led 13-0.

The Knights’ next drive ended after 3 plays and 3 yards when Senior Joe Estrada picked off the pass attempt to force the turnover.

Peru went for the homerun on the first play from scrimmage on this drive and Roettger found Senior Brady Hahn all alone for the 29-yard score. Senior Hayden Oldaker hit the PAT. Peru pushed the lead 20-0.

Southwood again struggled to get anything going on offense, going 4 plays and a negative 5 yards on their next possession.

Peru took over on their 41-yard line and went 59 yards on 4 plays. Junior Tanner Boggs found paydirt on a 58-yard scamper. Crowe with the PAT pushed the score to 27-0.

Southwood’s next drive spanned through the end of the first quarter and into the second losing a yard over 5 plays and being forced to punt to the Peru 10.

Peru then proceeded to march 90 yards on 9 plays with Roettger connecting with Strong for a 46-yard pitch and catch for the score. Oldaker with the PAT, giving Peru a commanding 34-0 4 minutes into the second quarter.

Southwood again went 3 and out and a penalty on Peru on the punt return meant the Tigers would take over at their own 12-yard line. Peru then drove 88 yards on 12 plays. Following a Knight timeout, Peru broke the huddle, and the normal quarterback Roettger moved to tight end on the play with the other lineman shifting to allow Senior Guard Liam Lancaster to line up under center. Liam took the snap and pushed his way across the goal line for a 1-yard score. Crowe was again good with the PAT. Giving the Tigers a 41-0 lead with just under 4 minutes remaining in the half.

Southwood again couldn’t get anything going on offense. Turning the ball over on downs after only gaining 6 yards on 4 plays. Peru again struck quickly with Roettger finding Beam again for a 45-yard score 2 plays later. Oldaker’s kick was no good. Southwood then ran 2 plays to end the first half with Peru holding a decisive advantage 47-0.

The 35-point mercy rule was in effect to start the second half, Southwood got the kick and found the endzone for the only time tonight after an 11-play drive spanning 60 yards, capped off by an 11-yard pass with a successful PAT. That score cut the lead 47-7.

Peru’s next drive spanned through the end of the 3rd quarter. 12 plays and 56 yards. Senior Alex Ross scored on a 3-yard dash. Peru lined up for a 2-point attempt but Senior Kane McCord fell short of the goal line. Peru pushed their lead back up to 53-7.

By this time both teams had their JV squads on the field gaining valuable experience under the bright lights of Friday nights. Southwood managed to go 32 yards on 6 plays again turning the ball over on downs.

Peru took their final drive of the night going 62 yards on 5 plays, capped off by Sophomore Isaiah Korba’s 1-yard run. Junior Johuan Antunez found Freshman Lukas Ulery for the 2-point conversion, pushing the Tigers’ lead to 61-7.

Southwood ran out the clock with a 4 play drive to end the game.

Peru is 7-0(6-0 TRC) for the first time since pre-1979 and is currently ranked # 10 in the 3A AP Poll. They travel to North Miami next Friday at 7 p.m. for what will be the final meeting between the 2 schools as North Miami is leaving the TRC at the end of the athletic year. The Tigers can wrap up a share of the conference crown with a win in either of the final 2 remaining games.