CORRECTION: Here's the correct game from Friday, October 6.

By Matt M. Stutz

It was a battle for the top of the Blanchard Valley Conference football standings as the Pandora-Gilboa Rockets (4-0 BVC) hosted the Liberty-Benton Eagles (4-0 BVC) Friday night, October 6. In a thrilling back-and-forth game that that lived up to the billing, a late P-G turnover in Eagle territory halted the rally, as the Rockets lost 33-28.

Things looked great for P-G early as the Rockets forced the Eagles into a punt on the opening possession, and then immediately scored the game’s first points. P-G’s Ben Burkholder scampered in for a touchdown from 7 yards out and Skyler Richardson kicked the PAT to put the Rockets up 7-0 with 7:35 left in quarter number one.

The rest of the half however proved to be all Eagles, as they scored twenty-one unanswered points, to take a commanding 21-7 lead into the halftime locker room as a mysterious drone operated by the L-B sideline flew overtop the field.

Coming out of halftime, and no more drone, both teams exchanged punts and turnovers before the scoring action picked up late in the third quarter. The Rockets capitalized on an Eagle fumble with thirty -eight seconds left when P-G running back Andrew Miller scored a touchdown on a 6-yard run. Richardson’s kick pulled P-G to within 21-14 going into the final quarter.

With the rain picking up, the Eagles scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to go up 27-14 as the momentum seemed to have shifted back and the fans started thinning out. The Rockets didn’t flinch and responded with a touchdown of their own to climb back in, down 27-21. Needing a defensive stop, the P-G “D” did just that, forcing a punt. With the wet conditions the Eagles shanked the punt attempt as it traveled on ten yards, giving P-G the ball deep in Eagle territory with three and a half minutes to go in the game.  The Rockets took advantage and took over the lead on a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cory Gerten to Burkholder on a seem route out of the backfield. With the home fans in a frenzy, Richardson nailed the PAT kick and the Rockets finally led 28-27. The Eagles though quickly hit another huge pass play, this one a 52 yard catch to regain the lead at 33-28.  

With the ball and 2:07 to go in the game P-G worked their way into Eagle territory.  But with thirty-eight seconds to play, coming out of a timeout, P-G tried a little trickery. Attempting a halfback pass, the P-G running back’s feet slipped on the throw, as the ball fluttered and fell into the wrong hands. The Eagles ran out the clock securing the win.

Next up, the Rockets (5-3) will hit the road this Friday night October 13th when they travel to Riverdale (3-5) for a Blanchard Valley Conference match-up.