ZSports Live Bowl XIII

Pandora - "All games were real picnics for our boys because this was Columbus Grove's first year on the gridiron and naturally they were an inexperienced team. This however is not to their discredit because they always fought with might and main,” was said by Pandora Highschool Head Coach Grover Davidson in 1924 after having three wins vs Columbus Grove in their inaugural season with a combined 121-0 score. Now, 101 years later, it will be the 100th ever meeting between the Fleetwings (now Rockets) and Bulldogs.

In 1924 it was the Four Horseman of Notre Dame who hoisted a national championship trophy for the first time in school history. Now it's the Rocket's four horseman of quarterback Cory Gerten, running back Ben Burkholder, wide receiver Chase Meyer, and flex player Landen Moore returning to lead the offense in hopes of their first state title.

Last season Cory Gerten hurled 1,108 yards through the air which led to 13 passing touchdowns. Gerten will look to be less aggressive with the football as turnovers have been the biggest negative in his four years starting at quarterback. Gerten has had 21 interceptions in the past two regular seasons (12 in 2023, 9 in 2024).

Columbus Grove has a three-year starter of their own at quarterback in the form of Landon Best. The Bulldogs signal caller went out with an injury last season in game three against Patrick Henry. While healthy he threw for 284 yards 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Best provides a dual threat style which allowed for 74 yards and 4 touchdowns on 18 carries.

Best won the duel last season in a one-sided affair seeing Columbus Grove beat the Rockets 35-7. Since the union of Pandora and Blanchard (forming Pandora-Gilboa) it has been 47 wins for Columbus Grove and 21 for Pandora-Gilboa. Recent memories of the game also hold a 25-22 Rockets victory in 2023 where Aidan Morris made the game winning catch with one second left in the game. 

Both teams playing Thursday night lose their number one running back who each had historic careers. Trenton Barraza was a three time All-Ohioan (twice 1st team selection) who amassed a program leading 6,360 yards (2,644 last season) and a second best 72 touchdowns. Rockets leading rusher Andrew Miller had 996 yards and 14 touchdowns while splitting carries with Ben Burkholder.

Burkholder returns this season as the main piece for the Pandora-Gilboa ground game. A season ago, Burkholder was named a 3rd team BVC selection with 845 yards and 4 touchdowns rushing. He is also a threat in the pass catching games hauling in 17 receptions for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns. 

Columbus Grove has more of a question mark at running back with the duo of sophomore Brody McCluer and junior Trent Wynkoop set to be at running back. The duo combined for 42 rushes, 203 yards (4.83 yards per carry), and 1 touchdown. It will be the first time the Bulldogs look to a fresh starter in the last handful of seasons and a new challenge for Coach Andy Schafer. 

There is plenty of experience in this coaching matchup with a combined 23 seasons as a head coach. Matt Hershey, frontman for the Rockets, is 60-29 at PG and is 3-4 against Grove all time. Coach Andy Schafer has a 119-76 record as the head coach of the Bulldogs.

Wide receiver talent is going to be displayed all across the field on Thursday. Returning 3rd team BVC performer and leading receiver Chase Meyer is back for Pandora-Gilboa. Meyer hauled in a team leading 9 touchdowns off of 35 receptions and 620 yards (17.7 yards per catch) and will look to repeat the performance of last season. 

The Baxter bros (Gavin and Trevon) will lead the way for pass catching threats. Last season the duo combined for 59 receptions, 943 yards (16 yards per catch), and 16 touchdowns. Trevon was honored as a first team NWC/Honorable Mention All-Ohio player. He had nearly 3x more yards than the receivers behind him on the team with 713 yards.

The next part of this Four Horseman attack for Pandora-Gilboa is arguably the most interesting in the form of H-Back Landen Moore. Last season Moore made appearances in the offense but mostly as a blocker for a run heavy team. Moore and his 6'0, 180-pound frame allows him to be a true utility piece that can line up and play snaps everywhere. Think of a 2020 Deebo Samuel or Taysom Hill who have the perfect combination of speed and strength to be blocking one play and then being handed the ball or running a route the next.

Columbus Grove already has a pass catching threat at tight end in the form of Brady Basinger. The 6'2 junior had the second most receiving yards with 252 and 4 touchdown receptions. Linebackers and safeties have to remain discipline or Basinger will thrive on blown coverage in the middle of the field, against Pandora-Gilboa he had 2 receptions down the seam for a combined 27 yards.

Up front the teams only have a combined three returning offensive line starters. Honorable mention BVC selections of Caleb Doty and Landon Siefker return for the Rockets. The Bulldogs look to Jakob Leininger to lead the trench battle as the lone returning letterman.

Both teams will have a lot of rotation players from a season ago step up defensively to fill the gaps of graduated seniors. Pandora-Gilboa will look to corner Chase Meyer (3 interceptions), linebacker Landen Moore (the team's leading tackler with 70), linebacker Ben Burkholder (second leading tackler with 57), and defensive end Alex Rutschilling (team leading 9 tackles for loss) to lead a new unit.

For Columbus Grove they have four returners in the form of linebackers Brady Basinger (43 tackles) and Trent Wynkoop (30 tackles) along with defensive backs Trevon Baxter (6 interceptions, 9 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble) and Gavin Barraza (6 interceptions, 11 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovered).  

Something I found to be interesting about this game and a fun fact about this series is each time a team won for the first time they went 8-0-1 and were co-champions in the NWC due to a tie with Elida. For Pandora-Gilboa it was the 1961 season that saw a victory over the Bulldogs and a 0-0 tie with Elida. Coumbus Grove got the upper hand in Pandora-Gilboa's inaugural season (1951) by a score of 39-0. Pandora-Gilboa's 1961 season is one of two undefeated regular seasons in the school's history along with 2018.

Thursday's 100th edition of the Route 12 Rivalry looks to be a good one with many new faces and some key players on each side. If you can't make it, you can hear the game on WZOQ Radio with myself and Mike Hirn, pregame at 6:30 for a 7:00 kickoff.

Read more articles by Chase Dettrow