FOOTBALL: Cass pulls away from Delphi, Eastern blasts Elwood, more in roundup

Lewis Cass’ football team broke loose from a tight game to beat Delphi 32-13 on Friday night at Walton in the opening round of Class 2A Sectional 34.

After a scoreless first quarter, Cass got on the scoreboard first when Jonny Mack ran in from 23 yards out on a fourth-and-2 play for a 6-0 Kings lead. That score held at the half.

Early in the third quarter, Cooper Frey scored on a 9-yard run for the Kings and Cass led 12-0 just 57 seconds after the second half started. Delphi got on the board with 8:32 left in the third on a trick play where a wide receiver threw a 40-yard TD pass to trim the Kings’ lead to 12-6.

Trevor Rowe then scored on a 4-yard run for Cass and the Kings led 18-6 with 1:41 left in the third quarter. In the fourth, L.J. Hillis scored on another 4-yard run to put the Kings up 24-6 with 8:56 left. Delphi punched in a 9-yard TD run to trim the Cass lead to 24-13 with 6:22 left.

Cass sealed the game with a 9-yard interception return by Gavin Smith to finish the scoring.

Cass takes a 6-4 record into the semifinals against Seeger next Friday. Delphi finishes 4-6.

EASTERN 55, ELWOOD 0

Eastern asserted control quickly, going up 20-0 by the end of the first quarter. The Comets poured it on in the second quarter, scoring 28 points to go up 48-0 at halftime to get a running clock for the second half.

Eastern QB Eli Edwards finished with five TD passes, all in the first half. Braylon Word caught four of those and Blake Robinson also had a TD grab. Jayden Eagle had two TD runs in the first half. The Comets’ final score came in the third quarter when freshman Gibson Eagle tossed a TD to classmate Bentley Hullinger.

The Comets’ defense was as impressive as their offense in the first half as the Comets held the Panthers without a first down.

The Comets take a 7-2 record into next Friday’s semifinal round against Tipton. Elwood wrapped up its season at 1-9.

TIPTON 35, BLACKFORD 0

After a long stalemate, Tipton took a 6-0 halftime lead when Calvin Condict scored a 1-yard run on fourth and goal with :49.9 left in the half.

Tipton went up 14-0 with a TD with 6:58 left in the third quarter. Dallas Capshaw capped a 63-yard Blue Devil drive with a 36-yard TD pass to Landon Spidel. Calvin Condict scored the conversion.

Tipton went up 21-0 with 2:31 left in the third quarter on a one-yard Capshaw run. That score held at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth, Tipton got a 21-yard TD pass from Capshaw to Spidel to go up 28-0 with 11:31 left in the game. Chase Hussey then scored on a 1-yard run with 5:36 left to put Tipton up 35-0 and the game ended with a running clock.

Condict rushed 16 times for 102 yards. Spidel had seven receptions for 92 yards and two TDs.

Tipton’s defense also turned in a strong performance, limiting the Bruins to 35 yards of total offense and recovered two fumbles.

The Blue Devils (2-8) visit Eastern in next Friday’s semifinals. Blackford finished its season 0-10.

GUERIN 27, PERU 19

Class 3A co-No. 3 Guerin Catholic held off No. 9 Peru 27-19 at Peru in the opening round of Sectional 28.

Peru struck first when Tanner Boggs scored an 80-yard TD run on the second play of the game. Guerin tied the game at 6-all with a 53-yard TD run by Peter Rooney.

In the second quarter, a Peru fumble set up a Guerin Catholic. Guerin QB Ryan Zimmerman connected with Hayden Cler for a TD pass for the Eagles to go up 13-6. The Eagles posted another TD in the second to take a 20-6 halftime lead.

A Guerin Catholic miscue set up Peru to tighten the game. Peru recovered a Guerin fumble and Bengal Tiger QB Matt Roettger threw a 48-yard TD pass to Braxton Strong to cut the Guerin lead to 20-13 with 5:11 left in the third and that score held going into the fourth.

Guerin picked off a Peru pass and scored less than three minutes later to go up 27-13 with 4:57 left. Peru trimmed the lead to 27-19 when Roettger scored on a 1-yard run with less than 3 minutes in the game. The point after was blocked. Peru tried an onside kick but Guerin recovered.

Peru ends its season 9-1. Guerin advances with an 8-2 record.

CARROLL 42, TRI-COUNTY 8

Class A No. 3-ranked Carroll put up three quick touchdowns to go up 21-0 with 10:21 left in the second quarter and that score held at the half.

In the third quarter, Carroll’s Emery Deaton blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown and the Cougars went up 35-0 to trigger a running clock. The lead grew to 42-0 in the fourth before Tri-County tacked on a late score for the final margin.

Carroll takes a 10-0 record into its game against Caston next Friday.

W. CENTRAL 52, TAYLOR 27

Taylor ends its season 1-9 after falling in the opening round of Class A Sectional 43. West Central marches on with an 8-2 record.

TC 41, FRONTIER 35

Tri-Central opened the scoring with a 1-yard keeper by Brody Arnold. Frontier answered with a 13-yard run for a 7-7 tie. TC regained the lead with 10:56 left in the second quarter on a 5-yard run for a 14-7 advantage.

Frontier struck early in the second quarter but missed the extra point so TC maintained a slim lead 14-13 with 9:00 left before halftime. The Trojans pushed their lead to eight points at 21-13 on a 13-yard TD run by Jacob Cline with 3:48 left before the half. The back-and-forth continued as Frontier found pay dirt with a long pass play and added a 2-point conversion to knot the game again at 21-all by halftime.

In the third quarter, Owen Tolle scored on a 2-yard run and TC re-took the lead at 28-21 with 6:33 left in the frame. Frontier answered again, but the point after was no good and TC again held a one-point lead at 28-27 with 5:09 left in the third.

Cline ripped off a big play for TC to give the Trojans some breathing room again, scoring on a 27-yard run for a 35-27 TC lead with 8:26 left. Cline added another TD on a 28-yard run for a 41-27 lead with 4:04 left.

Frontier trimmed the margin to a score with a TD and conversion with 3:20 left and the Trojans held a 41-35 lead. Cline then sealed the game with an interception.

Tri-Central takes a 4-6 record into the semifinals against West Central. Frontier ends its season 5-5.