VAN METER — Concern over inclement weather moved up Friday’s kickoff to 5:30 p.m. but did little to dampen host Van Meter, as the defending state titleists scored five first-half touchdowns en route to a 36-6 Class 1A District 8 win over Panorama.
Van Meter (7-0, 5-0) lifted their win streak to 20 games and their regular-season winning span to 33 with the triumph. The Bulldogs passed for 97 yards and one TD and ran for four scores and 269 total yards on 36 carries in the win.
Panorama (3-4, 0-3) gained only 72 rushing yards on 39 rushes and had just 91 yards through the air. The lone Panther points came in the fourth quarter when Trey Cobb dashed into the end zone from nine yards away. The two-point conversion run failed.
Ian Abrahamson scored on runs of 64 yards and of five yards in the first quarter, with a Sam Bardwell PAT kick after the first score and an Anthony Potthoff two-point conversion run after the latter giving the Bulldogs a 15-0 lead after one frame.
Potthoff broke loose for an 85-yard TD dash early in the second quarter, with Cody Coffman connecting with J.J. Richards for a 65-yard score minutes later. Potthoff added a one-yard scoring dive near the intermission, with three Bardwell PAT boots putting the halftime score at 36-0 and mandating a continual clock when play began in the third quarter.
Potthoff was 3-of-6 for 32 yards and Coffman 1-of-1 for the 65-yard TD through the air for the hosts, with Richards catching two passes for 90 yards.
Two TDs and 141 yards on 11 carries were provided by Potthoff, with Abrahamson tallying 120 yards and two scores on 18 rushes.
Zach Madden returned an interception 22 yards to lead the Van Meter defense.
Luke South was 9-of-13 for 91 yards passing and ran for 10 yards on 13 carries, with Alejandro Mendez missing on both his pass attempts and throwing an interception while gaining one yard on two runs.
Cobb (12-59, 1 TD) and Zach Rizzuti (2-2) also ran the ball for the Panthers, with Gracen Welberg (5-54), Rizzuti (2-18), Jacob Holwegner (1-12) and Allias Stahl (1-7) accounting for the receiving stats.
Cobb lead the Panorama defense with 11 total tackles, with Dominic Walker making four stops.
Panorama host AC/GC (3-4, 1-2) in their final home game of the season. AC/GC was a 26-8 winner over visiting West Central Valley in their week seven contest.
