HANNIBAL – A scoop-and­-score punt block by River High senior Gunner Bennett broke open a close game with Perry Traditional of the Pittsburgh City League, while solid play on both sides of the line helped the Pilots to a 36-12 win, Friday night at Martin Flannery Field.

“Our line did an extremely good job blocking to open some holes for Wyatt (Stalder), Braden (Johnson) and Trey (Larrick),” said veteran coach Mike Flannery, who was able to play some of his younger players in the fourth quarter.

Flannery pointed to the job of Carter Piatt, Jayden Jones, Wyatt Jones, Michael Schultheis, Cooper Roberts handling the blocking duties. “Credit those guys because we may not face another team with the athleticism of (Perry).”

River opened the scoring on a 28-yard pass from senior quarterback Trail Thompson to junior Ayson McBride to cap an 80-yard, 8-play series to open the contest. Carson Jones’ PAT made it 7-0 at 8:42.

The Commodores stormed back with a 90-yard TD pass to Jaden Washington, but the bonus pass failed to leave it 7-6 at 7:41.

Flannery’s crew made it 14-6 when Stalder followed a Jayden Jones block into the end zone from the four-yard line. The PAT kick made it 14-6 on the opening series of the second.

A 34-yard QB keeper from Perry’s Chaz Jackson reached the hosts’ 40 on the ensuing possession.

A pass over the middle on the next play to Devonte Mott sliced it to 14-12 at 10:17.

Perry opened the second half and reached the Pilot 40, but Bennett broke up a 4th down pass deep in River territory.

The Pilots, who host Buckeye Local, Friday, kept it on the ground with Stalder doing the bulk of the work as he led all rushers with 104 on 17 carries. A Thompson-to-Johnson toss in the flat took it to the Commodores’ 31 and four plays later Stalder followed a Piatt block into the end zone.

A bad snap on the PAT failed to leave it 20-12 at 2:54 of the third.

Bennett led a solid rush on a Perry punt to earn his special teams’ TD at 1:23 of the quarter, while Thompson showed nice touch on a PAT flip to a wide open Milhoan to up the count to 28-12.

“One of the key plays of the game, a big momentum swing right there,” said Flannery.

River added a final TD when Larrick crashed the end zone from four yards out at 9:46. Thompson ran the PAT to make it 36-12.

Milhoan and freshman corner Robert Winkler had interceptions for the Pilots in the fourth.

Other Pilots coming up big on the defensive side were Conner Miller and Peyton Weese.

Bennett added 65 yards rushing, while Larrick had 20.