HEGINS – There have been more questions than answers for a Panther Valley football team that continues to battle, continues to dig deep, and just won’t call it quits.

That is the definition of intestinal fortitude.

Another Friday night bump in the road once again haunted the Panthers. Trying to match up with a speedy, athletic Tri-Valley team is anything but easy.

The Bulldogs were just too tough, too good and too powerful in all phases of the game as they rolled to a 49-0 win, scoring six of their touchdowns in the first half.

“We’re just not good enough to play with a team of that caliber,” Panther Valley head coach Ricky Jones said.

Jones was being up front, yet the love of the game keeps him ticking.

Just look at the numbers:

• Three players combined to rush for 312 yards and accounted for six of the winners’ touchdowns.

• Jonas McGrath raced 17 yards for a touchdown. The senior quarterback also found sophomore receiver Layne Yoder for a 15-yard scoring pass.

• Senior Jake Scheib bulldozed his way into the end zone three times on runs of 17, 44 and 2 yards. He also tacked on 100 yards on 10 carries.

• And the workhorse on the evening turned out to be Kameron Wetzel. He compiled 154 yards rushing on just seven carries. He also had the longest touchdown run of the game, a 77-yard sprint to paydirt.

“We have some really talented backs in the backfield, and tonight they showcased what they really have,” Tri-Valley mentor Jeff Sampson said.

The win keeps Tri-Valley (6-1) perfect at 3-0 in the Blue Division of the Schuylkill/Colonial League. Its chief threat - Williams Valley (6-1; 2-0) - was idle last evening due to COVID at Shenandoah Valley.

The only time the Dawgs stumbled, or should we say failed to click, happened on their first possession, in which they had a drive stall at the PV 26. But they ripped the heart out of the visitors one play later.

Tri-Valley’s defense forced an interception off a deflected pass, then kicked-started the offense three plays into their second possession.

McGrath used his legs to prance 17 yards for a score and a 7-0 lead. When Tri-Valley had a short field to work with after a 10-yard punt at its own 17, Scheib ran for a touchdown on the first offensive play following the punt.

Before the opening 12 minutes were in the books, the Bulldogs were in the house a third time. McGrath fired a beauty of a pass to Yoder from 15 yards out.

In the second quarter, the home club bagged three more touchdowns. McGrath seemingly hit the end zone after running 38 yards before fumbling at the 1 and the ball rolled into the end zone. His teammate, tackle Jeremy Umbenhauer, was trailing and fell on the ball for a touchdown.

On its ensuing offensive series, Tri-Valley rode the legs of Wetzel into the end zone on a 77-yard jaunt. Scheib later barrelled through the PV defense from 44 yards out and another score.

Scheib punched in one more early in the second half on a 2-yard run.

TRY, TRY AND TRY … The effort is there; the talent level not quite enough for the Panthers to get in the ring with a top-flight Tri-Valley.

IMPRESSIVE … The Bulldogs scored on seven of eight offensive series. They just muffed the opening drive, but came back very strong thereafter.

UP NEXT … Panther Valley (0-6) will meet rival Marian (1-7) on Friday.