PANORA — The Panorama defense stopped AC/GC on all 15 of their third down attempts as part of a 26-0 Class 1A District 8 win Friday, the third consecutive shutout for the hosts.
The Panthers moved to 4-2 on the season while celebrating the Homecoming win, with the Chargers — who dressed just 22 players due to illness and injury — dropping to 2-4.
“Our defense played lights-out,” Panorama head coach Mike Kauzlarich said. “We were really close to having a couple of interceptions and fumble recoveries, but we just missed out on those opportunities.”
Kauzlarich said the Panthers had focused on crippling the Charger running game, and was pleased with the effort of his defense.
“AC/GC brought in all four of their rushing leaders and had been averaging 240 yards a game on the ground,” he said. “We stepped up and held them to 108 yards (on 47 carries) among the four of them. When you play against a downhill run team and shut them out for four quarters it is very exciting.”
Panorama’s passing attack was kept out of the end zone, but did more than enough damage moving the ball and making big plays to set up scores when needed.
Preston Walker burst into the end zone on a six-yard spurt as the hosts put a 6-0 lead on the board after one quarter of play. A nine-yard run from Hunter Pauley and two-point conversion pushed the score to 14-0 in the second quarter, with quarterback Dominic Walker sneaking in from a yard out and then booting the PAT to increase the advantage to 21-0.
The hosts penetrated the visiting defense late in the half but we stopped shy of the end zone, settling instead on a 36-yard Dominic Walker field goal as time expired for a 24-0 halftime lead.
Neither offense mounted a serious, sustained threat after the break, with the only scoring a Panther safety early in the third quarter when AC/GC had a poor snap in the end zone while punting.
“The offense came out striking in the first half and we moved the ball steadily,” Kauzlarich noted. “In the second half we were our own worst enemy, and it really felt like we let the lead effect our execution. We were not locked-in offensively with the 26-point cushion and it showed. This will be something we must focus on heading into postseason play in just over a week.”
Dominic Walker was 17-of-37 for 286 yards through the air while tossing one interception. He added 21 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.
Drew Taylor (7-87) and Evan Taylor (5-92) were the lead receivers, with Preston Walker (2-59), Pauley (2-42) and Jack Weinkoetz (1-6) also pulling in aerials.
The Panthers gained only 50 yards on the ground on 22 total rushes. Preston Walker (4-8), Pauley (2-8) and Zach Rizzuti (1-2) joined Dominic Walker in running the ball.
Evab Taylor led the defense with nine tackles, with Drew Taylor, Trent Hambleton and Pauley each making 5.5 stops. Cooper Andersen added five denials, with Preston Walker recovering an AC/GC fumble.
Panorama hosts Kuemper Catholic (1-5) Friday in their regular season finale. The Knights fell, 35-18, to Van Meter Oct. 2.
