Rockets and Vikings set for rematch between dynamic offenses

LEIPSIC– For the second time in three weeks, the Pandora-Gilboa Rockets will square off with a BVC opponent in the postseason. This time, the Rockets have an even tougher opponent ahead of them in the 10-1 Leipsic Vikings.The Vikings, whose lone loss was to league champion Liberty-Benton, defeated P-G 12-7 in a Week 4 grinder. That loss accounted for the lowest points scored in a game by the Rockets all season. This time, the Vikings will be at home and attempting to win their fourth straight game and advance in the postseason. Led by a sophomore phenom at QB, the Vikings have a 33-point differential over their last three games. Sophomore Marc Kirkendall, who led the BVC in passing yards this year with 2,249 yards and 21 touchdowns, put up 232 passing yards, three touchdowns, and 60 rushing yards in Friday's 36-7 win over the Mohawk Warriors. Unlike the Rockets, Leipsic has played just one playoff game, as their 9-1 record earned a bye in the opening round. In that second-round contest against the Warriors, dynamic athlete Marquise Williams finished with 173 all-purpose yards and a touchdown, showcasing the talent that landed him on the All-BVC first-team. Williams has 846 rushing yards, 410 receiving yards, and 226 kick return yards on the season, 19 total touchdowns, and was named as a third-team All-BVC defensive back as well. Williams is flanked by All-BVC first-team receiver Avery Paris and second-team running back Aaron Hazleton. Paris led the BVC in receiving yards, finishing with 1,066 to go along with 10 touchdowns on just 58 receptions. Paris finished with 78 receiving yards and a touchdown against Mohawk.Hazleton had 566 rushing yards, 447 receiving yards, and 11 total touchdowns between the ground and the air this season. Hazleton also notched 60 tackles and two interceptions, earning him a second-team selection at defensive back. Hazleton notched 57 rushing yards, 82 receiving yards, and two scores versus the Warriors. Defensively, Hazleton recorded 60 tackles and two interceptions, earning him a second-team selection at defensive back as well. Along with Hazleton and Williams, the rest of the Vikings' defense is stout. Grant David and Julian Zuniga were both All-BVC selections on the defensive line. Preston Schroeder, an All-BVC honorable mention, was seventh in the conference with 77 tackles. John Dewar had 65 tackles and three interceptions. Jackson Spitnale, another All-BVC honorable mention, added 56 tackles. Last week for the Rockets, Cory Gerten tallied seven total touchdowns, throwing six and running in another. "It was awesome," Rockets coach Matt Hershey said on Gerten's strong Week-12 performance. "There were some tough parts of the game. Obviously, there was some back and forth with it, the scoring from both teams. For Cory to settle in and have the game that he did, and adding a rushing touchdown there at the end. It was a special night for him."Gerten, along with receiver Chase Meyer, broke several records for the Rockets on Friday in a 63-42 win over undefeated North Baltimore. Gerten broke the single-game passing touchdown record, along with his own record for passing yards in a season, now up to 2496. Meyer, a speedy wideout capable of big plays on both sides of the ball, secured the Rockets' single-season receptions record, single-season receiving yards record, and tied the mark for touchdowns in a single game. Through two postseason wins, Gerten has passed for 520 yards and nine scores. Meyer has caught just 14 passes, racking up 275 yards and five touchdowns to go with two interceptions and a punt return touchdown as well. Rockets back Ben Burkholder has 49 carries for 249 yards and three scores through two playoff contests, adding a strong ground game to a lethal passing offense for the Rockets. Burkholder, Meyer, and Gerten are all defensive leaders for P-G and lead a traditionally strong Rockets defense that has given up just 16 points per game and won five straight contests. "It feels really good to get the win," Meyer said after Friday's 21-point win over North Baltimore. "We need to play a lot better on defense and make some fixes. I had some mistakes on defense myself, but we made up for it on offense. If we can keep our offense rolling and figure out stuff on defense, I think we can make it pretty far."The Rockets scored six touchdowns in the first half versus the Tigers, showcasing their ability to get to the endzone nearly at will. Leipsic scored just 14 points in the first half against the Warriors, but scored 16 in the third to put the game out of reach. Much like last week's contest against North Baltimore, Pandora-Gilboa may need to score early and score often to keep up with a high-powered offense in the Vikings.