Mersch, Hill carry Pioneer ground game past Wabash; C. LeGrand: 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks

Smith adds 29-yard TD reception on final play from scrimmage of half

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Football

Pioneer 40, Wabash 14 (Friday): Beau Mersch ran 11 times for 120 yards and a touchdown, and he also had two catches for 54 yards and a score for the host Panthers in a win over Wabash in a Class 2A, Sectional 34 quarterfinal at The Pit Friday.

Cayden Hill ran for 116 yards and a touchdown on a team-high 18 carries.

Caleb Sweet threw for 83 yards and two touchdowns, and he also ran for 32 yards and a score.

Logan Smith caught a 29-yard touchdown pass on the final play from scrimmage in the first half.

Derrick LeGrand had eight tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Sweet and Oscar Solano had 1.5 sacks each. Cody LeGrand had three tackles for loss and a sack.

Trevor Daughtry had a 70-yard touchdown reception for Wabash. Antonio Grant had four catches for 72 yards.

Pioneer led 26-7 at halftime.

Pioneer senior fullback-defensive back Brock Robinson left with a shoulder injury, and coach Adam Berry told RTC on Tuesday that Robinson is “questionable” for Pioneer’s next game.

The Panthers won their eighth straight game to improve to 8-2. They will play Delphi at Logansport at 7 p.m. this Friday in the semifinals. Ther game was moved from Pioneer to Logansport due to poor field conditions at Pioneer.

Delphi knocked off Lewis Cass 28-20 on Friday.

If Pioneer beats Delphi, they will play the sectional final against Bremen or LaVille on the road on Nov. 5.

Pioneer 40, Wabash 14

Wabash 0 7 7 0 – 14

Pioneer 12 14 0 14 – 40

First quarter

PIO – Beau Mersch 52 run (run failed)

PIO – Cauden Hill 3 run (run failed)

Second quarter

PIO – Caleb Sweet 9 run (Mersch pass from Sweet)

WAB – Izaak Wright 6 run (Jacob Fuchs kick)

PIO – Logan Smith 29 pass from Sweet (run failed)