HANNIBAL — If highlight-reel plays were on the menu Friday night at Martin Flannery Field, then fifth-seed River High delivered appetizers, entrees and desserts in the Pilots’ Division VII Region 27 playoff opener.  

The 8-2 record Rivermen advanced to round 2 with splash plays galore in a 49-21 win over 12th-seed Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans as head coach Mike Flannery’s crew found paydirt early and often with seven first half TDs.    

“We took care of business, communicated well and were able to take (Rosecrans’ QB) Brendan Bernath out of the game with our pass rush,” noted Flannery, who will take his club to Fairfield Christian Academy, Friday, as the Pilots hope for an extended post-season run.    

Making some the biggest splashes against the visiting Bishops was Pilot junior back Lucas Dennis, who had a 74 yard touchdown run, caught a 26-yard TD strike from senior Kabel Isaly, and returned a ‘pick 6’ an eye-popping 70 yards.

“Our backs responded with some fantastic scoring plays and (Dennis) was big-time,” said Flannery, who credited the O-line for some big holes for Dennis and senior stalwarts Kaden Johnson and Finn Bowers.

Bowers and Johnson found some nice holes and delivered punishing hits on Bishop defenders on several occasions, as each found paydirt once in a first half totally dominated by the hosts.      

River wasted no time scoring after Isaly’s 24 yard punt return to the visitors’ 38. Bowers toted twice for 12, before Johnson found room to cover the final 26 with a burst up the middle at 9:00. Wyatt Majors’ PAT kick made it 7-0.

Another punt saw River ready to rock again as Dennis took the handoff, spin off a defender in the backfield, curl to the outside and once he had a step on the corner it was off to the races for a 74-yard score at 4:39. Majors was perfect on the point-after for 14-0 lead.   

Rosecrans used a 38 Nick Bernath kick return to set up a TD run of 36 yards by Michael Dady to slice it to 14-7 at 3:23 after J.T. Robinson’s placement.

Flannery’s explosive offense went back on attack as 18 seconds later Isaly found Maddox Mozena all alone at the ZR 25 and the senior receiver waltzed to the end zone for a 21-7 cushion after Majors’ boot.

River’s first quarter scoring was complete when Isaly fielded a punt at his own seven, found his second gear near the 10, scrambled almost 20 yards to his right and bolted the home side with a couple Pilot escorts to cover 93 yards.  

Majors, a solid sophomore kicker, drilled the PAT for a 28-7 cushIon at 1:18.

On Pilot TD march number 5 it was Johnson starting it with a 17-yard catch and Bowers capping the eight-play series with a five-yard burst. Big gainer in the drive was a 39-yard Bowers run featuring a nice stiff-arm on a defender. Majors again was true for a 35-7 difference.

The hosts covered 52 yards in four plays as Bowers pulled in an Isaly dart for 20 to begin, 20while the elusive Dennis caught a TD from Isaly for 26 with a minute left in the half. The extra point made it 42-7. 

Dennis wasn’t through as on the ensuing series he picked off a Bernath pass at his own 30, spun away from a defender, and needed a one-step head start to scoot 70 yards for a touchdown 25 seconds after he caught a TD.

At :35 Majors’ duties were capped with a perfect kick and a 49-7 halftime lead.

Rosecrans scored twice in an OHSAA regulated ‘mercy rule’ third quarter on a five-yard TD pass from Bernath to Gage Bee, and a 53-yard pass from Nick Bernath to Brendan Bernath.

Flannery praised his line of seniors Matthew Gregg, Zeke Zola, Hunter Nething, Cooper Cordery and sophomore Carter Piatt. “They made the holes and did a solid job.”

Dennis had 208 all-purpose yards, while Bowers backed him on the ground with 59 yards on six totes, while he had 58 on three catches.

Johnson, Mozena, Colton Cisar, Devon McElwain, Parker Bennett and Wyatt Stalder shined on the defensive side although only playing the first half.