SPERRY — Sperry used a trio of running backs to end Stigler’s season with a 55-22 win at Herrington Field Friday night in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs.

Stigler coach Chris Risenhoover said his team’s opponent was more physical than them across the board.

“They stayed over the top, didn’t let us hit any big pass plays,” Risenhoover said. “Whenever that happens, you got to block them up, have precision passing going on and they were in quarterback Jarret Radford’s face.”

The Pirates got the ball to start but quickly gave it right back on a Barrett Bowman fumble, but the Panthers were unable to convert and were forced to punt.

Sperry went right back to work, and on its first play of its second possession, tailback Aaron Beats rumbled his way for a 59-yard touchdown to lead 8-0 after the successful two-point conversion.

Stigler answered right back as Radford led the Panthers on a 10-play, 71-yard drive, where he completed four of nine passes, the last completion being a 16-yard touchdown strike to Gaven Guthrie to tie it at 8-8.

That would be the only time in the first half the Panthers would put any points on the board as they struggled to get anything clicking on offense.

Meanwhile, the Pirates would simply run it into the heart of Stigler’s defense, which led to a 30-yard touchdown run, a two-yard touchdown run, and a 36-yard touchdown pass which eventually led to a 35-8 halftime lead.

It was the exact same tale in the second half as the Pirates (8-4) attempted only two passes the entire night as their ground game got most of the load.

Sperry in the second half got two touchdown runs of one yard and 51 yards from tailback Bill Gorden and a 69-yard score from B.J. Driver.

Stigler (8-4) meanwhile ended their season on somewhat positive note as they came away with two touchdown drives on their final two possessions.

The first was a one-yard score from Radford at the 8:59 mark in the fourth quarter and the other being a five-yard pass from Radford to Guy Stubblefield.

The junior quarterback finished the game completing 19 of 37 passes for 250 yards with two touchdowns, two interceptions and a rushing touchdown.

“One of our goals was to get past the first round. We’re extremely happy about that,” Risenhoover said. “The other side we’re disappointed that we didn’t get into an up and down situation with them. ”