The Sevastopol Pioneers clinched their first playoff win since 2018 with a dominating 40-14 win over the Suring Eagles on a sunsplashed afternoon in Institute on Saturday.

The game got off to a slow start for the Pioneers as the Eagles got onto the scoreboard first on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Booth-Strofregan to Dayne Ermis to make it 6-0. The Eagles extended their lead to 14-0 when Dyllan Flynn, in for the injured Kroix Kempka, galloped 59 yards for the score. Quarterback Logan Schuh took over from their, sprinting past the Eagles' defense for a 63-yard rushing touchdown before ending the first-half scoring with a 10-yard score to Cash Kuehn to make it 16-14 from the break.

Without Kempka in the backfield, the Eagles struggled to get the offense going, even after recovering a fumble on the Pioneers' first drive. Reid LeClair intercepted the ball a few plays later, the first of three Pioneers turnovers forced by the defense with LeClair and Jon Ash scooping up fumbles in the fourth quarter. Schuh continued to lead scoring drives in the second half with his second rushing score and a touchdown on the ground by Chase Haberli to make it 32-14 at the end of the third quarter. Schuh concluded his four-touchdown performance with a 15-yard pass to Reid Kacmarynski for the final score of the game.

Head coach Daniel Judas talked about the slow start to the game for the Pioneers and how proud of them he was that they answered the bell with 40 unanswered points. Schuh and Ray Johnson touched on the significance of winning the school's first playoff game since 2018 and their final home game of the season.

 

 

 

 

The Pioneers will now travel to Tigerton/Marion on October 24th for their second round matchup. We will have coverage for you on 105.1 The GOAT beginning at 6:45 p.m. with the pregame show followed by the kickoff at 7 p.m.