Val T.
- Sep 29, 2021
- 3 min read

Week 6 roundup: From 0 to 60: Valley drubs Whitko with first-half explosion

Smith runs for 3 TDs in Caston win over North White; Pioneer scores 2 special teams YDs in triumph over Triton

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Football

Tippecanoe Valley 60, Whitko 0 (Friday): Braden Shepherd returned a punt for a touchdown and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in a four-minute span in the first quarter, Rex Kirchenstien caught two touchdown passes, and Dalton Alber and Jamasyn Virgil had two touchdown runs each for the host Vikings in a homecoming win over Whitko at Smith-Bibler Memorial Field, Home of Death Valley Football Friday.

Valley held Whitko to 54 yards of total offense and forced two turnovers in recording their second shutout in three weeks.

Branson McBrier and Marcus Jansma combined to complete 10 of 11 passes for 185 yards.

Valley averaged 12.2 yards per play.

Valley led 60-0 at halftime.

Valley beat Whitko for the fifth straight year.

Valley 60, Whitko 0

Whitko 0 0 0 0 – 0

Valley 24 36 0 0 – 60

First quarter

TV – Rex Kirchenstien 30 pass from Branson McBrier (Jamasyn Virgil run)

TV – Braden Shepherd 51 punt return (Shepherd pass from McBrier)

TV – Shepherd 60 pass from McBrier (Hunter Eherenman run)

Second quarter

TV – Virgil 20 run (Virgil pass from McBrier)

TV – Dalton Alber 4 run (Virgil pass from McBrier)

TV – Kirchenstien 34 pass from McBrier (pass failed)

TV – Alber 33 run (Eherenman pass from McBrier)

TV – Virgil 12 run (kick failed)

Third quarter

(no scoring)

Fourth quarter

(no scoring)

Caston 26, North White 10 (Friday): Sam Smith had 30 carries for 194 yards and three touchdowns, and he also had six tackles and a fumble recovery on defense for the visiting Comets as they broke a four-game losing streak against North White Friday.

Landon Shafer passed for 61 yards and a touchdown, and he also led the defense with 10 tackles.

Josh Sullivan had a 24-yard touchdown catch, and Levi Martin and Grant Hickle also had receptions.

Hickle accounted for 92 yards of total offense on eight touches, and he also had eight tackles.

Chase Angot ran for a two-point conversion.

Garrison Hickle had seven tackles and forced a fumble. Grant Yadon had five tackles. Evan Howard had four tackles to go along with an interception on defense. Cain Schanlaub and Pete DuVall had three tackles each. Dylan Gearhart had two tackles and a sack. Sullivan and Roudebush had two tackles each. Martin and Jayden Wilson had one tackle each.

Pioneer 26, Triton 6 (Friday): Brock Robinson returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown, ran for a team-high 96 yards and threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Cayden Hill for the Panthers in a Hoosier North home win over Triton Friday.

In addition to Robinson’s kickoff return, Pioneer scored another special teams touchdown when Eli Miller returned a blocked field goal 80 yards for a score in the third quarter. Oscar Solano blocked the field goal and also had a fumble recovery on defense.

Beau Mersch added a touchdown run for the Panthers, who improved to 7-0 against Triton since they became conference rivals in 2015.

Pioneer had seven tackles for loss and two sacks. Derrick LeGrand had eight solo tackles, six assists, three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Caleb Sweet had an interception.

Triton sophomore Anthony Schuh ran for 123 yards and a touchdown.

Pioneer 26, Triton 6

Triton 0 0 0 6 – 6

Pioneer 6 8 6 6 – 26

First quarter

PIO – Brock Robinson 89 kickoff return (run failed)

Second quarter

PIO – Cayden Hill 7 pass from Robinson (Robinson run)

Third quarter

PIO – Eli Miller 80 blocked FG return (run failed)

Fourth quarter

PIO – Beau Mersch 31 run (pass failed)

TRI – Anthony Schuh 48 run (pass failed)

RTC area ranked teams

Tippecanoe Valley – Class 3A, No. 8

Winamac – Class 1A, No. 4

TRC football scoreboard – Sept. 24

Tippecanoe Valley 60, Whitko 0

Maconaquah 72, North Miami 20

Northfield 41, Wabash 13

Manchester 33, Southwood 22

TRC football schedule – Oct. 1

Northfield at Rochester, 7 p.m.

Tippecanoe Valley at Maconaquah, 7 p.m.

Manchester at Whitko, 7 p.m.

North Miami at Wabash, 7 p.m.

Southwood at Peru, 7 p.m.

TRC standings

Tippecanoe Valley 4-0, Northfield 4-1, Peru 3-1, Rochester 2-1, Southwood 3-2, Maconaquah 2-2, Manchester 2-2, Whitko 1-4, Wabash 0-3, North Miami 0-5

Hoosier North football scoreboard – Sept. 24

Winamac 28, Culver 0

Pioneer 26, Triton 6

LaVille 7, Knox 6

Caston 26, North White 10 (nonconference)

Culver Academy 42, North Judson 21 (nonconference)

Hoosier North football schedule – Oct. 1

Culver at Caston, 7 p.m.

Knox at Pioneer, 7:30 p.m.

North Judson at Triton, 7:30 p.m.

Winamac at West Central, 7 p.m. (nonconference)

LaVille at John Glenn, 7 p.m.(nonconference)