Val T.
- Oct 10, 2023
- 3 min read

Week 8 roundup: Roth’s TD pass to Bucinski lifts Winamac past Caston

Toloza returns, runs for 5 TDs as Pioneer beats Culver

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Football

Winamac 28, Caston 22 (Friday): Cash Roth threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Maddox Bucinski in the fourth quarter to break a 22-22 tie, and Winamac hung on to earn a Hoosier North home win over Caston despite committing five turnovers Friday.

Jadon Jones had both a 66-yard touchdown run and a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter for the Warriors. He finished with 10 carries for 103 yards on the ground.

The 100-yard interception return was the longest in school history.

Talen Garner had a 1-yard scoring run in the first quarter, and he also ran for a two-point conversion.

Roth also threw a two-point conversion pass to Max Gearhart.

Tucker Fox had four tackles for loss for the Winamac defense.

Freshman Landen Rigney led Caston with 143 yards rushing on 15 carries, and he also caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Grant Yadon in the second quarter. Rigney finished with two receptions for 43 yards. He also had two tackles and two fumble recoveries on defense.

In addition to the touchdown pass he threw, Yadon also caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Gavin Mollenkopf, and Caston tacked on a two-point conversion pass that tied the game at 22. Yadon had three receptions for 50 yards and 11 carries for 33 yards. Kyle Roudebush had a team-high 54 yards receiving on two catches, and he also ran for 13 yards.

Mollenkopf threw for 139 yards and also had a 1-yard touchdown run on a quarterback sneak in the third quarter. He also had three tackles and a fumble recovery on defense.

Yadon led the defense with eight tackles, and Roudebush had six tackles, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Pete DuVall had four tackles and two sacks, and Chase Angot had four tackles and a sack.

Jabez Yarber had four tackles and a pass defended on defense and added 27 yards on eight carries on offense.

Brayden Unger had a tackle and a fumble recovery.

Winamac 28, Caston 22

Caston 0 8 6 8 – 22

Winamac 8 14 0 6 – 28

First quarter

WIN – Talen Garner 1 run (two-point conversion good)

Second quarter

CAS – Landen Rigney 10 pass from Grant Yadon (two-point conversion good)

WIN – Jadon Jones 66 run (two-point conversion failed)

WIN – Jones 100 interception return (two-point conversion good)

Third quarter

CAS – Gavin Mollenkopf 1 run (two-point conversion failed)

Fourth quarter

CAS – Yadon 11 pass from Mollenkopf (two-point conversion good)

WIN – Maddox Bucinski 25 pass from Cash Roth (two-point conversion failed)

Pioneer 46, Culver 8 (Friday): Rylahn Toloza returned from a two-game injury absence to rush for 217 yards and five touchdowns, and Tyler Zellers also ran for a touchdown for the Panthers in a Hoosier North win over host Culver Friday.

Shiloh Rine started at quarterback for Pioneer as Micah Rans missed his third straight game due to injury. Rine, a freshman, completed three of six passes for 48 yards and an interception.

Cayden Hill had 57 yards rushing on six carries and two receptions for 37 yards. Zellers had 36 yards rushing and also had an 11-yard reception.

Noan VanMeter also had a 32-yard run as part of Pioneer’s 354-yard ground output.

J.J. Solano had nine tackles, and Shiloh Rine and Eli Nicoll had seven tackles each. Eli Guffey had five tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. Nicoll also had 1.5 tackles for loss.

The Pioneer defense held Culver to 71 yards of offense and four first downs.

Culver opened the scoring when Tony Sommers blocked a Pioneer punt, and Isaiah Gonzalez recovered and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown. Brady Kindernay followed with a two-point conversion run.

Pioneer responded with 46 unanswered points.

Toloza had touchdown runs of 8, 6, 13, 51 and 50 yards.

Pioneer led 38-8 at halftime, and the final 22 minutes were played under a running clock, per the IHSAA mercy rule.

Pioneer 46, Culver 8

Pioneer 16 22 8 0 – 46

Culver 8 0 0 0 – 8

First quarter

CUL – Isaiah Gonzalez 24 blocked punt return (Brady Kindernay run)

PIO – Tyler Zellers 11 run (Rylahn Toloza run)

PIO – Toloza 8 run (Toloza run)

Second quarter

PIO – Toloza 6 run (Cayden Hill run)