Redskins push toward playoffs with 43-8 win at Sandusky

SANDUSKY — Leave no doubt. Port Clinton had to defeat Sandusky for even a shot at making it to the playoffs, and it did so in convincing fashion, defeating the Blue Streaks 43-8 Friday at Strobel Field. Redskins running back Malakii Pinkelton (11 carries, 110 yards, three touchdowns) was a force, scoring three touchdowns in the first half as Port Clinton (6-4) raced out to a 28-0 lead. Throughout the first half, the Redskins defense consistently kept Sandusky in check and got short fields for the offense. The Streaks (1-9) began the game with the ball, but after getting a first down, were forced to punt from their 40-yard-line. Port Clinton did nothing with the ball, but did back up Sandusky to its 5-yard line, and after a nice punt return by Christian Miller set up the Redskins with a first down at the Streaks' 28. Pinkelton raced around left end on first down, broke a couple of tackles and ran down the sideline to give Port Clinton the lead for good at 6-0. Adam Fitt's extra point, which came with 5:39 to play in the first quarter, pushed the lead to seven points. Pinkelton scored 23 seconds later after Port Clinton recovered an onside kick. On second-and-5 from the Sandusky 33, he darted left before cutting it back and going to the right before catching the pylon and scoring a touchdown. After a Streaks punt was returned by Miller for 35 yards to the Sandusky 12, Port Clinton quarterback Landon Leis (11 for 24, 175 yards, two touchdowns) found tight end Wyatt Siefke on a short route to the left, and he broke a tackle and scored on the final play of the first quarter to make it 21-0. The final touchdown of the first half came with 5:21 to play on a 25-yard run by Pinkelton. It was set up by a 24-yard pass from Leis to Gavin Cornell (5 catches, 71 yards). Port Clinton coach Eric Leuthold has likely gotten his team back to the postseason, though that isn't official. What is official is the fact that the Redskins responded with force after a tough 12-3 loss last week to Bellevue. "It would be nice to be able to get an 11th game," Leuthold said. "We wanted to focus on what we did and how we did it. To a degree, we were able to do that. We had to clean some things up from last week. Our defense played really, really well." Following a 35-21 loss to Huron in Week 6, Port Clinton needed a victory in the worst way, and it got it, defeating Vermilion, 29-28, in five overtimes, then Edison, 21-17. "(The season) is a marathon of sprints," Leuthold said. "You take each week with a grain of salt, you learn something from each week. We were able to get some key wins there (over Edison and Vermilion)." Pinkelton, who made the playoffs as a freshman, is excited to be heading back to the postseason. The senior, who models his game after L.A. Rams running back Blake Corum, a Michigan alum, has been one of the best players on the team, a constant jolt of energy coming out of the backfield that has made a number of impressive runs this season. "It feels amazing to be able to go back and get a playoff berth," he said. "Hopefully it can be something bigger than that." In the second half, Leis found Martez Wilson on a six-yard touchdown pass with 7:12 to play in the third quarter, setting up a running clock with the score being 35-0. One of the few bright spots for the Streaks came when Ahmaj Wilfork intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it 47 yards to give Sandusky great field position. Zion Henlon found Keylan Howell for a 22-yard touchdown pass with 6:22 to play, and Kymirr Hunter, a senior offensive lineman, scored on the two-point conversion. Port Clinton scored last on a four-yard touchdown run by Ethan Dresser, and Dylan Reynolds ran in the two-point conversion with 1:42 to play. Port Clinton 21 7 7 8 — 43Sandusky 0 0 0 8 — 8 PC — Malakii Pinkelton 28 run (Adam Fitt kick)PC — Pinkelton 33 run (Fitt kick)PC — Wyatt Siefke 12 pass from Landon Leis (Fitt kick)PC — Pinkelton 25 run (Fitt kick) PC — Martez Wilson 6 pass from Leis (Fitt kick)S — Keylan Howell 22 pass from Zion Henlon (Kymirr Hunter run)PC — Ethan Dresser 4 run (Dylan Reynolds run)