GUTHRIE CENTER — An almost certain at-large playoff spot in Class 1A was at stake Friday when Panorama made the short trip to rival AC/GC. The Chargers entered the showdown with an RPI (Ratings Percentage Index, used for playoff determination) of sixth-best, while the visiting Panthers held the number 10 slot.
That would have appeared to set up a true donnybrook, but the Panthers apparently never got the message and seized control from the early moments in unplugging Charger playoff aspirations with a 48-8 whitewashing.
While securing a postseason slot will not be official unless Panorama tops West Central Valley (0-8, 0-4) Friday, Panther head coach Mike Kauzlarich said factors beyond the possible playoff berth were at play.
“This was also a very important game for us as we were coming off our first loss of the season,” he said, referencing a 20-0 setback to Van Meter. “We wanted to prove that we are a team focused on getting better and that we had fixed some mistakes we had made in the previous week.”
Michael Allen broke free for a 36-yard touchdown and a 6-0 lead in the first quarter, then added the first of six consecutive PAT boots when Luke South bulled over from a yard out later in the period for a 13-0 edge.
Gavin Cornelison scored on a one-yard dive early in the second quarter, with a two-point conversion cutting the Panther lead to 13-8, but that was all the noise the AC/GC offense would make.
The Chargers passed for just 17 yards and rushed for 157 more, a total some 213 yards less than their per game average entering the contest.
“I think our defense played a great game again,” Kauzlarich said. “We were obviously undersized at the point of attack, but our guys play fast, they are disciplined, and they all run to the football.”
“AC/GC is a very difficult offense to stop once they get going,” he added. “Our coaches and players did a great job of putting together the defensive game plan and executing it all night.”
Dominic Walker countered the Charger TD with a 12-yard run moments after the hosts had scored, with a pair of tipped passes leading to two additional Panorama scores.
The first came when South connected with Zach Rizzuti scored on a 20-yard aerial and the latter when Walker hit Drew Taylor for a 47-yard TD and a 34-8 lead, stunning the home crowd.
Walker hooked up with Allen for a short four-yard TD pass in the third quarter, with Walker stepping into the end zone from five yards out in the fourth stanza to cap the scoring.
AC/GC (6-2, 3-1) hosts Mount Ayr (6-2, 2-2) to cap their season, with Panorama (7-1, 3-1) entertaining WCV.
Walker was 10-of-16 for 156 yards and two TDs through the air, with South 2-of-3 for 63 yards and a score.
South (4-75), Allen (5-34), Drew Taylor (1-47), Evan Taylor (1-43) and Rizzuti (1-20) all caught passes, with Allen, Rizzuti and Drew Taylor scoring on receptions.
Walker (11-66, 2 TDs), Allen (3-44, 1 TD), South (6-31, 1 TD), Rizzuti (2-1) and Wyatt Clark (1, minus-2) all carried the pigskin for the victors.
