Crescent-News.com - Paulding pulls upset

BY MIKE VERNOT
cnsports@crescent-news.com
PAULDING - The Paulding Panthers came into Friday's game against Lima Central Catholic deeply in need of a win. They got just that in a 21-14 triumph over the Thunderbirds.
How big was this win for Paulding?
"Big! This is big for our kids," an emotional head coach Chris Etzler expressed, who with two victories this season has seen his team double their wins from a year ago. "We told the kids at halftime, whether we won or lost, it came down to what our team did not what LCC did.
"And they came out and played hard, and fought, and scratched, and clawed," added Etzler. "And (we) ended up with a big win."
The game-winning play came on a 75 yard touchdown pass from Haden Sholl to Andrew Mott in the fourth quarter. Sholl led the offense with two touchdowns one on a quarterback keeper in the third quarter to help the Panthers retake the lead.
"This is great because we've been working all week and felt like we needed to do things right and come out in the second half and execute," an elated Sholl exclaimed. "I just did what I could for this team, not trying to do too much in the second half and make thing happen.".
The game began with what looked like a defensive struggle. In the first quarter, both teams moved the ball briefly in their possessions only to turn the ball over or punt it away.
Just before the end of the first quarter, the Panthers got great field position on a short punt from Lima Central Catholic that gave Paulding possession on the LCC 37-yard line. The ensuing drive featured a run of seven yards by Corbin Rhonehouse and passes by Sholl of 12 yards (to Wade Bissell), and nine yard pass (to Garret Stoller) to move the ball to the LCC six. After a couple rushes by Sholl, and Rhonehouse, the ball sat on the 2-yard line as the first half ended.
In the second quarter the scoring got started when Rhonehouse ran in for the touchdown from two yards out and Derek Schlatter hit the point after to give Paulding the early 7-0 lead.
The Thunderbird's got their score on three-yard touchdown by Taylor Royster, which was set up by a fumble recovery on the Panther 33-yard line.
With the game tied at the half, the Panthers made no real adjustments, according to Sholl.
"We looked at our mental game," recalled Sholl. "And we decided there were things we needed to do like executing and we came out and took care of business."
The third quarter started with Paulding on a drive that began on the Panther's 47 yard line and ended with Sholl taking matters into his own hands.
Sholl kept the ball on a quarterback keeper for 25 yards and later kept it again on a one yard keeper to cap the drive off. The extra point was good and gave Paulding the lead again.
Early in the fourth, Lima Central quarterback Tyler O'Connor connected with Desmond Kirkman from 11 yards out to tie the game and put the Panthers' fate in the arms of Sholl.
The Thunderbird's pinned the Panthers down inside their own 25 yard line after a 37 yard punt by O'Connor. The next play Sholl connected with Andrew Mott for 75 yards on a well executed play that gave Paulding the final lead with 4:21 left in the game.
The Panthers held on and finished the game with two sacks by Wade Bissell, and Garret Stoller to hold on for the win.
"This was about the kids tonight because they rose to the occasion," said Coach Etzler. "It was a total team effort because we were able to move the ball in the second half and then Haden made a great pass, and Andrew made a great catch, and overall I'm just happy for them."
Paulding will now look to build off of this win and continue the success for the rest of the season.
"This doesn't change our approach for next week," said Etzler. "This isn't the end all, I think what it may do is, hopefully, give our kids more confidence but we won't change what we do.
"Our number one goal is to have us work hard and improve every day," ended Etzler. "And that's what were going to work on Monday."
Paulding takes on Spencerville next week at home.

Summary
Paulding- Rhonehouse 2-yard run (Schlatter kick)
LCC- Royster 3-yard run (O'Connor kick)
Paulding- Sholl 1-yard run (Schlatter kick)
LCC- Kirkman 11-yard pass from O'Connor (O'Connor kick)
Paulding- Mott 75-yard pass from Sholl (Schlatter kick)