PANORA — Playoff-bound Panorama struck early and often in rolling to a 46-20 win over visiting West Central Valley in their regular season finale Friday.
The Panthers (8-1, 4-1) finished second in Class 1A District 8 and earned one of seven at-large postseason bids. Their reward is a Friday visit to Dike-New Hartford (9-0), the District 6 champion and 2018 state runner-up. The Wolverines boast the fourth-highest RPI (Ratings Percentage Index), used to rank teams for playoff spots. The Panthers are rated eighth.
“Reaching the playoffs is a huge honor, but we want to set the standard for Panorama football to be more than just qualifying,” head coach Mike Kauzlarich said. “We are very excited to be on a field this Friday night competing against another great 1A team!”
Friday’s winner advances to the Nov. 8 quarterfinals, to be hosted by the higher-ranked team. The opposite bracket features No. 5 West Lyon (8-1), who finished in a three-way tie for District 1 honors, and 15th-rated Osage (5-4) who went undefeated in winning District 3. Both the Nov. 1 and Nov. 8 games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
The victory over WCV (0-9, 0-5) took little time to ensure, as Panorama exploded to a 40-6 lead after a frantic opening 12 minutes of play.
“Our starters played approximately eight minutes, and then a lot of younger guys were able to get in and get some great varsity experience,” Kauzlarich said. “Our big thing was to get better and I think our two’s and three’s (on the depth chart) continue to show progress, which leads to a great program and competitive team year after year.”
The Wildcats have endured a difficult season, at one time fearing they would have enough healthy players and reserves in order to even field a team. WCV entered Friday’s game having been outscored 434-32 through eight games.
“You have to top your hat to the group at WCV for competing all year, even through rough times,” Kauzlarich said.
The hosts had scored three times before only a few minutes had elapsed. Dillon Bennett scored on a one-yard run and Kade Kemble on a six-yard plunge, with Jackson Carstens catching a nine-yard touchdown pass from Dominic Walker. Michael Allen converted the first two PAT kicks to set the score at 20-0.
Walker ran in from 20 yards out, with an Allen boot pushing the score to 27-0 moments later.
Tanawat Kongwiwaattenakul kicked the PAT after Wyatt Clark’s five-yard dive pushed the score to 34-0, with WCV finally moving the scoreboard when Kade Kunkle found the end zone on a 30-yard run to put the Wildcat margin at 34-6.
Before the first quarter could end Luke South returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a TD, establishing a 40-6 Panther lead.
Austin Block’s 30-yard TD run was the only scoring in the second frame as the hosts entered the intermission owning a 46-6 advantage.
Mason Hagen had a one-yard TD run and Justin Garcia added a two-point conversion early in the fourth quarter to move the score to 46-14. A 19-yard TD pass from Garcia to Brayden Miller capped the scoring.
Kunkle was 4-8-2 for 75 yards passing and had 122 yards and a score on 23 carries on the ground.
Dalton Howard and Rush Rowan recovered fumbles for WCV, with Kiefer Wallace intercepting a pass.
Walker was 5-of-11 for 43 yards and a score in the air, with Block 5-13-1 for 35 yards. Carstens (3-26, 1 TD), Jack Weinkoetz (3-17), Allen (2-17), Clark (1-14) and Kyle McClatchey (1-4) had receptions for the Panthers.
Block (16-81), South (4-63), Bennett (10-48), Walker (2-30), Clark (3-16), Allen (1-9), Kemble (1-6) and Ryan Frees 1, no yards) carried the pigskin for the hosts.
Bennett fell on two WCV fumbles, with Kemble and Evan Taylor also recovering dropped balls while Lucas Leiferman and Clay Draper each had an interception.
