SANDUSKY, Ohio (Sept. 1, 2023) -- In a Friday night battle of Pirates, the horde of raiders from Rocky River were undone by the host buccaneers from Perkins High School. Leveraging 45 first-half points and some timely takeaways, the Perkins Pirates defeated the Rocky River Pirates 59-28.

For Perkins (3-0), the win over Rocky River on an idyllic early-autumn-weather evening in Sandusky marked the Pirates' ninth in a row in regular-season play. And a PHS offense which scored on seven straight drives Friday has now scored 202 points this season.

Rocky River (2-1) was even with its high-octane hosts early on. A Cam Bulkowski interception got the River defense out of a jam in the opening quarter, and when Nick DiSalvo scored on a 73-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter, Rocky River and Perkins were as matched on the scoreboard (21-21) as they were in the mascot department.

But a 73-yard Perkins TD drive followed by a PHS pick-6 on the ensuing River drive vaulted the home side to a 35-20 lead. Negative plays and a fumble put the visiting Pirates on their heels late in the first half. The Maroon & White registered three straight negative-yardage drives over the last six minutes of the second quarter. Perkins took the advantage and tacked on a touchdown and a field goal after its pick-6; the host Pirates led 45-20 at the break.

PHS pushed its lead into running-clock territory on Logan Lesch's second TD run of the night, a 4-yarder four minutes into the third stanza. River countered three minutes later when Julian Patti connected with Andrew Lang on a 27-yard touchdown pass.

But Perkins got the mercy-rule clock rolling downhill again when Isaac Bunts scored on a 9-yard run at the two-minute mark of the third. The touchdown marked Bunts' fourth of the evening.

The Double-R responded with a lengthy 76-yard drive, but that march down field yielded no points and would be River's final possession in a quick, ground-bound fourth frame.

That final River drive started at the RRHS 14-yard line. The visiting Pirates were leveraged all night in the exchange of field position. River's average drive start was on its own 24-yard line; Perkins' average start was on its own 47.

For the game, Rocky River tallied 236 yards on the ground and 259 through the air (495 total). DiSalvo toted the pigskin 11 times for 173 yards. He scored three TDs and has now found paydirt 11 times this season (eight rushing, three receiving). Patti went 22-for-41 (53.7%) for 259 yards, one TD, and two interceptions. His top target was Lang, who amassed 115 yards on three catches. His TD catch marked the first of his career.

Lang had seven tackles in the other half of his two-way performance. Josh Mommers was Rocky River's top tackler in the game; he had nine stops.

Perkins' 59 points marked the most in a single game by a River foe since Nov. 7, 2014 (70 points by Toledo Central).

Rocky River is scheduled to host Lakewood in a Battle of the Bridge, Great Lakes Conference crossover contest on Sept. 8.



by Skip Snow

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