Golden Gales grind out win on ground

the Golden Gales’ running game, which helped close out Lancaster’s 35-21 victory at Pickerington North in the Ohio Capital Conference Ohio Division.

“We’re built for this stuff, day in and day out, every single day,” Widener said. “We love this slop. We love the rain. We love the mud.”

Lancaster (6-3, 4-0) finished with 220 yards rushing. The Gales earned at least a share of the division championship and remained in the hunt for a Division I playoff spot.

Jake Richards’ 72-yard touchdown run gave the Gales a 28-21 lead with 43 seconds left in the third quarter. Widener’s second touchdown, a 4-yard run, came with 10:07 left.

North (5-4, 1-3) failed to convert on three drives that started in Lancaster territory — at the 35-, 36- and 45-yard lines — in the third quarter.

“We had some great defense that turned them back,” Lancaster coach Rob Carpenter said. “They have an explosive offense with a great quarterback and a lot of weapons, but in those conditions, it’s scary.”

The Gales trailed 21-10 in the second quarter but scored the final 14 points of the first half. Phillip Slater made field goals of 32 and 29 yards before quarterback Tyler Monk’s 1-yard touchdown run capped off a nine-play, 64-yard drive with six seconds left in the half. Monk passed to Lucas Gauerke for the two-point conversion to even the score at 21.

North quarterback Mike Lowery, who completed 16 of 36 passes for 201 yards, threw three first-half touchdowns, including a 61-yarder to Jaylon Baylor on the Panthers’ opening drive.