Reedsville’s Brock Gilsdorf accounted for four touchdowns, three on the ground on one through the air, as the host Panthers routed Howards Grove on Friday 53-33.
Gilsdorf carried the ball 20 times for 85 yards while scoring on runs of six, five and three yards while completing 2-of-2 for 58 yards including a 44-yard touchdown bomb to receiver Cody Schamburek.
The Panthers led 27-14 after a high scoring first quarter in which Reedsville (4-0, 2-0 Olympian-Packerland Small) answered both Tigers’ touchdowns with kick return scores of 93 and 70 yards by Elliott Ebert and Tyler Schuh, respectively.
Ebert also scored a five-yard run to start the scoring two minutes into the game. He finished with 77 yards on nine carries for a nine-yard average.
In the second quarter, Gilsdorf’s scored two of his rushing touchdowns to give the Panthers a 39-12 lead entering the half.
Gilsdorf’s third rushing touchdown kicked off the scoring in the second half, while Alex Pischke finished the scoring with a six-yard run.
The Tigers actually outgained the Panthers 395-365 but the momentum-killing kick returns by Reedsville proved to be the decisive factor. The Panthers went on a 25-0 run following the second return after Howards Grove cut the deficit to 21-14 in the first with the Tigers not scoring till 41 seconds remained in the third quarter.
Reedsville travels to Hilbert next Friday.