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Comets’ Bowyer runs for 99 yards, TD in loss
BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Football
Pioneer 21, Caston 14 (Friday): Shiloh Rine ran for 174 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 65-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, as the Pioneer football team beat Caston 21-14 in the Class 1A, Sectional 43 final at the Panther Pit Friday.
Freshman quarterback Colton Popejoy completed four of seven passes for 126 yards and a touchdown. Carter Mize had two receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown, and Rine added a 41-yard reception.
Phillip McFatridge had six carries for 40 yards on offense and had an interception on defense. He also went three for three on extra points.
Keegan McCall had 13 tackles to lead the Pioneer defense, Rine had 12, and Mikaden Tolosa added 10, including two sacks. Chase VanMeter and Gage Lakes added eight tackles each, Colten Long had seven, and Archie Blickenstaff had six.
Tolosa and Blu Rosen-Jacks each forced a fumble.
Ashton Bowyer led Caston with 26 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown, and Tucker Woolever had 74 yards on 15 carries.
Logan Mollenkopf completed eight of 14 passes for 132 yards and the game-tying touchdown pass to Landen Rigney in the fourth quarter.
Owen Chapman had three catches for 61 yards, and Rigney had three receptions for 59 yards.
Woolever led the defense with six tackles. Mollenkopf had three tackles and a fumble recovery, and Rigney, Caymen Brown, Cameron McFatridge and Parker Zimpleman had three tackles each.
Top-ranked Pioneer (12-0) won its 14th sectional title in school history and its second straight. They also defeated Caston for the 38th consecutive time.
Pioneer will travel to No. 5 South Adams at 7:30 p.m. this Friday for the regional.
Caston finished 9-3. Two of their three losses were to Pioneer.
