It was a close battle in the first half between No. 1 Perkins (12-0, 4-0) and No. 4 West Holmes (10-3, 6-1), but the Pirates held the Knights scoreless in the second half and took a 38-21 win in the Division IV, Region 14 playoffs. The win sends Perkins to the regional finals against No. 2 Glenville.
West Holmes fumbled the opening kickoff and Isaac Bunts and the Pirate offense capitalized with a touchdown run with 8:23 left in the first. The Knights returned the favor with a Morgan Smith 10-yard touchdown run about a minute later. The see-saw battle continued with QB Logan Lesch hitting Kaiden Nixon for a leaping catch for a 10-yard score with 4:26 left in the first.
In the second quarter, after a shanked punt by West Holmes, Perkins was knocking on the door but were held to a 29-yard field goal. In a drive that took only 56 seconds, West Holmes responded when Smith found a wide open Nate Fair for a 71-yard score. There were no defenders within 15 yards of him, and Smith connected with him in stride for the easy score to get within three. With 6:59 left in the half, Lesch hit Braylon Collier on a screen pass, and he went untouched for a 13-yard touchdown. Before the half ended, Smith found Kyle Maltarich wide open across the middle for a 20-yard touchdown pass. Perkins went for a field goal before the half ended, but it was wide left and it was a 24-21 Pirates at the break.
In the third quarter the Pirates scored two more times, with Lesch to Nixon on a two-yard pass and an 11-yard run by Bunts. The offense for the Knights was held in check in the second half, and Perkins held on for the win.
Smith was 12-for-19 for 165 yards and two touchdowns, increasing his school record to 45 on the season. He also had 14 carries for 61 yards and a score.
Lesch was 22-for-28 for 207 yards and three touchdowns for the Pirates.
