By Matt M. Stutz
What a game. In a rematch between the two Blanchard Valley Conference rivals, #9 seeded Pandora-Gilboa Rockets traveled to #1 seeded McComb Panthers, in the Division VII region 26, second round playoff matchup, which didn’t disappoint.
P-G got behind 26-7 early in the second half and looked out of it; a rally by the Rockets unfortunately came up just yards short, as they bowed out of the playoffs losing 26-21.
The two teams met back in week 5 with McComb (11-1) edging the Rockets 35-28 in come-from-behind fashion, so P-G had a little revenge on their minds. But a slow start proved to be too deep a hole to climb out.
Following the Panthers game opening score to go up 7-0, P-G came right back to knot the score, as senior running back Ethan “Freight Train” Luginbill scored on a tough 5-yard run. Elam Suter split the uprights to knot the score at 7-7.
McComb would go up 20-7 by halftime and extend its lead to 26-7 in the third quarter before the comeback began. Junior receiver Colin Harris hauled in a 19-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Cory Gerten to pull within 26-14. Then later in the quarter, following a recovered on-side kick, Luginbill scored his second touchdown of the night sprinting for a 22-yard touchdown run. Suter’s extra point kicks put the Rockets within striking distance at 26-21 with one quarter left to play.
In the 4th quarter, P-G seemed to be in control, having a couple promising drives stall out by the very tough Panther defense. But the Rockets had their final chance. On the Rockets last drive of the game, with under one minute remaining, P-G found themselves at the McComb 9-yard line facing second down. Unfortunately the next three plays didn’t go as planned, a rushing loss, an incompletion, and a fumble ended the P-G season. But what an effort against their always tough conference rivals.
The Rockets (8-4) will now move on to basketball season, as they will have to say good-bye to record setting running back senior Ethan Luginbill. This season Luginbill broke and set the school record for rushing yards in a season at 1874 yards, previously held by Nathan Amstutz since the 2000 season. He also broke and set the school record for touchdowns in a season (33) previously held by Jacob Basinger and touchdowns in a career (49), previously held by Nathan Sprunger.
