SOUTH DAYTON - Josh Kilburn made sure his Senior Night would be one to remember as he led the Pine Valley Panthers (2-4) to a thrilling 34-21 victory over Panama (2-4) on Friday in Class DD high school football.
Kilburn rushed for 301 yards on 25 carries and found the end zone four times.
"The kid is all heart and he brought it," Pine Valley coach Chris Buczek said of his senior tailback. "It was Senior Night and homecoming. He has been bringing it and it seemed extra specail for him."
Article Photos
OBSERVER?Photo by Lisa Monacelli
Pine Valley’s Josh Kilburn rushes for one of his four touchdowns during Friday’s Class DD?high school football game against Panama.
The visitors got on the board first as Rob Benson found the end zone from 55 yards out and Kelvin Eddy kicked the first of his three extra points on the night.
However, Pine Valley responded as Dan Weaver scored on a 1-yard plunge and Kilburn scored on a 57-yard scamper to take a 12-6 halftime advantage.
Kilburn opened the scoring in the third quarter with a 39-yard run and then ran in the two-point conversion to give the home team a 20-7 lead.
Panama resonded with 14 straight points as quarterback Sawyer Eggleston scored twice - both on 1-yard dives - to give the visitors a 21-20 lead with 6:30 to play in the final frame.
On the ensuing drive, Kilburn put his team on his back and recaptured the lead with a 46-yard run on 4th-and-2.
"They had the box stacked," Buczek said of the play. "Their defense was thinking dive and we ran to the edge of the defense."
Nick Sandy converted on the two-point conversion from 7 yards out after a false start penalty backed up the home team.
Shortly after, Kilburn capped off the scoring with a 32-yard run to seal the victory.
Kilburn also contributed defensively with 11 tackles while Dan Weaver had 12 and Talon Snyder recorded an interception with his four tackles.
Stephen Enlow led Panama's offense with 106 yards on 19 carries while Eggleston was 10-for-19 with 102 yards passing.
