Grove uses fast start to stop Rockets

COLUMBUS GROVE – It was almost as if Columbus Grove could hardly wait to get the football season started. The Bulldogs scored three touchdowns in the game's first 13 minutes to lead 20-0 over Pandora-Gilboa, then held off a second-half rally by the Rockets to win the season opener, 34-23. Trenton Barraza led Columbus Grove on offense, scoring on touchdown runs of 3 and 84 yards and finishing with 170 yards on 18 carries. Like Barraza, the Bulldogs' Landen Schroeder had two touchdowns Thursday. He just went about it a little differently, returning an interception 28 yards for a score early in the second quarter, then rushing in a 2-yard TD with 7:46 left in the fourth. Schroeder's pick six was one of three the Bulldogs had off Rockets' quarterback Carson Meyer. AJ Schafer also ran in a score for the Bulldogs, who finished with 217 yards on the ground. Pandora-Gilboa mounted a rally, thanks in large part to tailback Ethan Luginbill, who ran for 99 yards on 16 carries. He scored touchdowns on runs from 1, 15 and 2 yards. The Rockets' other points came from special teams, when they tackled the Columbus Grove punter in the end zone in the second quarter. Despite P-G's push, it never got closer than 27-16 of the Bulldogs. Meyer completed 22 of 35 passes for 239 yards. The Rockets' Colin Harris caught seven passes for a team-high 89 yards. Grove quarterback Brenton Renner went 6 of 12 passing for 146 yards. Lawson Maag caught two passes for a team-high 95 yards receiving. Grove will travel to Liberty-Benton next Friday. Pandora-Gilboa hosts Bluffton next week. Pandora-Gilboa &emsp;&emsp;0 &emsp;&emsp;9 &emsp;&emsp;7 &emsp;&emsp;7 – 23 Columbus Grove &emsp;&emsp;14 &emsp;&emsp;13 &emsp;&emsp;0 &emsp;&emsp;7 – 34 First Quarter CG – Barraza 3 run (Halker kick) CG – Schafer 2 run (Halker kick) Second Quarter CG – Schroeder 27 interception return (kick fails) P-G – TEAM SAFETY (Punter tackled in end zone) P-G – Luginbill 1 run (Suter kick) Third Quarter CG – Barraza 84 run (Halker kick) Fourth Quarter P-G – Luganbill 15 run (Suter kick) CG – Schroeder 2 run (Halker kick) P-G – Luginbill 2 run (Suter kick)