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Celina's Parker Bertke takes the ball upfield against Kenton during Friday's game.
CELINA - After starting the season struggling on offense, Celina's record-setting 70-35 win over Kenton was like a relief of epic proportions.
It is not only the most points scored in Celina football history, but Parker Bertke's five touchdown performance ties a school record shared by Jim Otis and Braylon Gabes. Bertke finished the night with 177 yards on 16 carries, better than 11 yards-per-carry.
"Parker (Bertke) did a great job. He was a little banged up, but he ran hard and got a lot of yards after contact," Celina Coach Brennan Bader said. "Offensively, it was a really good showing."
The game started off strong for Celina (2-4, 2-3), who forced the Wildcats (1-5, 1-4) to punt on the opening drive. Bertke then took his second carry 25 yards to the end zone to put the Bulldogs up 7-0 after Bridon Jefferies' extra-point. Little did the fans know that was a sign of things to come.
On its second drive of the game, Celina doubled its lead. Trey Anderson took an end around all the way around the Kenton defense from 52 yards out for another score. Just over seven minutes into the game, Celina was up 14-0.
Celina's Brodee Schulte-Arnold (1) breaks up a pass intended for Kenton's Amiel Huff.
Kenton did not go away quietly though. In its typical pass-heavy offense, quarterback Xavier Gammon found Maddox Hommel from 13 yards out to put the Wildcats on the board with 90 seconds left in the opening frame.
Celina had a quick response. Wes Greber took Kenton's kickoff all the way to the Wildcat's 22 yard line to set up the Bulldog offense. After Parker Wynk found Brodee Arnold-Schulte for 19 yards, Bertke ran it to the end zone for the second time in the quarter to put the Bulldogs ahead 21-7. It took Celina less than 30 seconds of game clock to respond to Kenton.
That score carried over into the second quarter, when Kenton struck first. An 18-play drive that was helped out by some costly Celina penalties ended when Gammon ran for a one-yard touchdown. Kenton got a two-point conversion on a pass to Hommel to cut the Celina lead to 21-15 with just over eight minutes left in the half.
Celina needed another response after a Kenton touchdown. Four plays later, the Bulldogs got one. Collier Holstad had the highlight of the drive with a 31-yard run to set up Celina in the red zone.
Bertke yet again found the end zone from 17 yard out to complete the first half hat-trick. The point-after was good, and Celina led 28-15 just 90 seconds after Kenton cut the lead to six.
With the Wildcats looking for a response of their own, a costly fumble was recovered by Trey Anderson on his own 35 to give Celina the ball back.
While the crowd was still celebrating the fumble, Wynk found Arnold-Schulte on a dart from 65 yards out to send the stadium into pandemonium. After cutting Celina's lead to six, Kenton gave up multiple big plays and the Bulldogs were ahead 35-15 with under four minutes left in the half.
Celina's Logan Billerman (back) and Matt Eicher (24) team up to sack Kenton quarterback Xavier Gammon.
A 42-yard Kenton score on its next drive sparked some life into the Wildcats with 1:28 left in the half. The teams went into the half with Celina up 35-23.
Celina got the ball to open the second half, and immediately found success. Multiple big runs set up the Bulldogs at the one, and Bertke found the end zone for the fourth time to make the score 42-23 just 90 seconds into the second half.
Kenton tried to keep up, as the Wildcats scored on their next drive. Gammon found Maddox McFarlin, but with the conversion missed, the score was stuck at 42-29 in Celina's favor.
Celina responded yet again after a "marathon" 10-play drive by the Bulldogs. Wynk threw his second touchdown of the game, finding Wes Greber from 29 yards out to increase the lead. Halfway through the third quarter, Celina led 49-29.
Trying to play keep-up, Gammon's pass was deflected by his own receiver and intercepted by Arnold-Schulte to give the ball right back to Celina.
The following drive, Wynk, not wanting to be upstaged by Bertke, ran the ball himself from eight yard line to give Celina a 56-29 lead with under four to play in the third quarter. That score carried over into the fourth quarter.
Opening the fourth quarter with possession, Gammon was sacked by Caleb Schlater on fourth down. If you think Celina was going to stop there, think again. Bertke got his fifth and final score from 24 yard out to put the Bulldogs up 63-29 with 10 minutes to go.
Kenton scored on a pass from Gammon to McFarlin to cut the deficit to 63-35 with 4:23 left. Celina, with a rotated offense, responded with a score of its own. Noah Talmadge ran it in from 23 yards out, and with Jeffries extra point, an even 70 points were scored. That's how it finished, as Kenton ran out of time on its final possession.
It was an impressive 350 yards on the ground for Celina, showcased by eight rushing touchdowns.
"For us, it always starts with being able to run the football," Bader said. "We executed better up front, the best we've done all year."
Celina will stay home and take on Elida next week at Celina Stadium in a battle of the Bulldogs.
"Just taking it one game at a time, you want to try and finish on a strong note." Bader said.
