In a picture perfect night for football from Tinora’s Justin F. Coressel Stadium, the Tinora Rams welcomed in the Paulding Panthers for their first GMC contest on the gridiron.
With a festive schedule of pregame activities, the evening started out with Rams QB Nolan Schafer and Lady Rams volleyball member Brooklyn Reineke being named 2021 Homecoming King & Queen.
Not to be outdone, out of the clear blue sky fell three skydivers, landing at the 50 yard line at Tinora High School dropping off the game ball.
Tinora came in red-hot, winning five straight contests, 5-1 overall, and undefeated in Green Meadows Conference play at 3-0. The Panthers of Paulding were coming in looking for their first win of the season, 0-6, 0-3 in GMC play.
After all the pregame festivities ended, it was time to tee it up. Paulding’s Brayden Sanders took the opening kickoff 65 yards down to the Rams 25-yard line. From that initial play forward, the Tinora Rams played flawless over the next 47 minutes. The Rams D held Paulding scoreless on the initial possession.
Tinora started the scoring with a Brandon Edwards 2 yard TD run. Dylan Camp’s extra point gave the Rams a 7-0 lead with 4:20 remaining in the first quarter.
In what must have seemed to the Paulding faithful to be a lightning strike at Tinora High School, the Rams scored three additional TD’s over the next four minutes of play.
With 1:44 left in the first quarter, Cole Commisso scooped up a punt and returned it 75 yards for a Rams TD, XP was good by Camp, Tinora led 14-0.
Just 18 seconds later, after a Paulding turnover on the kickoff, Grady Gustwiller hauled in a short pass from Rams QB Nolan Schafer and raced down the right sideline for a 25 yard TD, XP by Camp gave Tinora a 21-0 lead with 1:26 remaining in quarter one.
Less than two minutes later, senior Cole Commisso hauled in another Schafer TD pass, this one from 47 yards out, a Camp XP gave Tinora a 28-0 lead with 10:22 remaining in the second quarter.
The Rams offense wasn’t done, Tinora RB KP Delarber jetted up the middle, and outran everyone for an 80 yard TD run. Another Camp XP was good, Rams lead 35-0 with 4:44 remaining before the half.
Dylan Camp came out for a 28-yard field goal attempt with 10 seconds remaining before halftime, Camp remained perfect on the night, giving Tinora a 38-0 halftime lead over Paulding.
As the bands took the field for the halftime shows, all in attendance honored the Antwerp community for their loss, yellow balloons were released and lifted in the air by the Tinora student section.
With a running clock in the second half, Tinora’s KP Delarber wasn’t done, taking the initial Rams possession of the second half 18 yards for a score, XP by Camp gave Tinora a 45-0 lead with 9:22 remaining in the third quarter.
The Panthers lone score came midway through the fourth quarter as Panther sophmore QB Jacob Fife hit Brayden Sanders for a 26 yard TD, XP was no good with 8:52 left in the game.
With the second teams in for Tinora, both teams traded possessions, the game ending with Tinora chalking up a 45-6 homecoming victory.
The victory moved the Rams to 6-1 overall, 4-0 in GMC play. Tinora will travel to Edgerton (4-3) (2-1) next Friday night to take on the Bulldogs, in one of the better venues to watch a game.
Another outstanding effort by the Tinora defense, limiting the Panthers to 9 first downs, 192 yards on 54 total plays.
The Tinora special teams also deserve lots of credit, Dylan Camp was flawless tonight in the kicking game, Christian Commisso had a punt return for a TD, and another called back because of holding.
On the opposite end, the Rams offense without a doubt seemed to capture lightning in a bottle tonight, on just 27 offensive plays, the Tinora Rams accounted for 355 total yards. The Tinora O line gave the Rams backs plenty of room, Tinora finished with 233 yards on just 23 attempts.
With the loss, the Paulding Panthers are still looking for their first win, exiting with a 0-7 overall record, 0-4 in the GMC.
The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game was shared by Cole Commisso and KP Delarber, congratulations gentleman.
TINORA:
Passing – Schafer 4-4 122 Yards 2 TD
Rushing – Delarber 8-121-2 TD; Christian Commisso 4-73; Edwards 2-9 1 TD
Receiving – Cole Commisso 3-97 1 TD; Gustwiller 1-25 1 TD
Happy 18th birthday to the Rams Casen Wolfum.
PAULDING:
Passing: Fife 10-25 99 yards 1 td
Rushing: Lamb 21 for 81 yards; Woods
Receiving: Sanders 4 for 72 yards 1 TD
Pics courtesy of Emily Brown, Jessica Wolfrum, and Laura Reineke
