HS FOOTBALL: Panthers thump Jacks; stay in playoff picture

Tug Valley quarterback Ethan Varney passed for 224 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 145 and another two scores as the Panthers stayed in the Class A playoff hunt with a 34-15 victory over Richwood in a game played at Bob Brewer Field on Friday night.

The signal-caller has now surpassed 2,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns in helping the Panthers move to 5-3. Varney had TD passes of 31 and nine yards while rushing 20 and 19.

Wide receiver Caleb May caught nine passes for 154 yards and a touchdown. Easton Davis added a TD reception. Running back Zack Savage ran for 102 yards on 14 rushing attempts.

Tug Valley now faces its biggest challenge this season, hosting Man (7-1) on Nov. 1. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

At Naugatuck

SCORE BY QUARTERS:

RW  (2-6)…7  0  0  8 – 15

TV (5-3)…..8 20  6  0 – 34

Scoring:

First Quarter

TV – Caleb May, 31-yard pass from Ethan Varney (Caleb May pass from Ethan Varney)

RW – Doye Ward, 14-yard run (Lasse Alberts kick)

Second Quarter

TV – Dustin Balentine, 1-yard run (pass failed)

TV – Easton Davis, 9-yard pass from Ethan Varney (run failed)

TV – Ethan Varney, 20-yard run (Ethan Varney run)

Third Quarter

TV – Ethan Varney, 19-yard run (pass failed)

Fourth Quarter

RW – Joshua  Landreth, 15-yard fumble return (Jarredd Freeman pass from Caleb Jantuah)

Next up: Tug Valley (5-3) vs. Man (7-1), 7:30 p.m., Nov. 1.