HANOVER, OH - The Licking Valley Panthers beat the Northridge Vikings 55-7 Friday night at Randy Baughman Stadium in Hanover, Ohio. The Panthers offense walked all over the Vikings all night while the Vikings offense struggled to even gain yards, let alone find the endzone. The Panthers more than doubled the total offense of the Vikings racking up 397 yards while the Vikings only managed to gain 193 yards. The Panthers only had the ball 6 minutes more than the Vikings but ran 14 less plays.
After the Panthers loss last Friday night to Bishop Watterson, head coach Randy Baughman obviously fixed some things during this weeks practice. It was like the Panthers came ready to play hard nosed football. Northridge however, struggled to get anything going all night on either side of the ball. QB Lane Hess of Northridge seemed to be the only Viking who could get the ball up the field. The Panthers seemed to be able to run at will and their line dominated the Vikings on both sides of the ball all night. Neither team took to the air much with the Panthers only throwing 6 passes while the Vikings only threw 9 passes for the game.
Licking Valley set the tone early with their defense getting them on the scoreboard first. On the 3rd play of the game Ayden Stalnaker scooped up a fumble and ran it back 36 yards for the TD. On the next 2 possessions for the Panthers Matthew Labuda would finish each drive with a TD run, ending the 1st quarter 21-0.
The second quarter was just more of the same. Alijah Stevens would run 18 yards and find the endzone for a TD. And Rylan Felumlee would end the half with a 19 yard touchdown catch from Rodgers making it 35-0 at the half.
In the 2nd half the Panthers would come out and add to what they stared in the first. The Panthers QB So. Hayden Rodgers would get the 3rd quarter started on QB keeper, dashing 50 yard up the left sideline all the way to the endzone for his only touchdown of the game. And when the Panthers got the ball back again with about 1:30 left in the 3rd quarter, Colton Carr would add another TD to Licking Valley’s point tally. The 3rd quarter ended with the Panther leading 49 - 0.
The 4th quarter would start with the Vikings finally being able to reach the endzone to get on the scoreboard. Northridge's Dylan Chambers would finish the Vikings drive and run the ball in for a TD from 9 yards out and making it 49-7.
For the entire 4th quarter the Panthers would only play their 2nd and 3rd string, but even those Panthers would manage to score on the Vikings. About half way through the 4th quarter the Panthers RB So. Cameron Gaa broke free and found the endzone on a 58 yard rush. The Panthers would try and go for 2, but their pass was incomplete and the 2 point conversion was no good. Final score, 55-7 Panthers.
The Panthers would have 7 different players score touchdowns for the game. Hayden Rodgers would go 5-6 for 52 yards, throwing 1 TD and 1 interception. Rodgers also led the Panthers in rushing with 84 yards on 6 carries and scoring 1 TD. Matthew Labuda would rush the ball 8 times for 74 yards and score 2 TD's. Ayden Stalnaker would make 2 catches for the Panthers for 20 yards. Rylan Felumlee would catch the only pass thrown his way and that happened to be for a touchdown.
The Vikings didn't have much offense form anyone other than QB Lane Hess. Hess would complete 5 passes on 9 attempts for 37 yards. Hess didn't throw a touchdown or an interception. Hess would also carry the ball 18 times for the Vikings and gain 111 yards. JD Miller also carried the ball 15 times for the Vikings, but only gain 26 yards, averaging 1.7 yards per carry. Dylan Chambers would run the ball 5 times for 19 yards and score the only Viking touchdown.
The Licking Valley Panthers season record is now 2-2 while the Vikings record drops to 2-3. The Panther will be hosting the Zanesville Blue Devils next Friday, the 24th, for their 3rd straight home game. The Vikings will play away at Johnstown-Monroe taking on the Johnnies. Both of those games will kick-off at 7pm.