SHENANDOAH – Panther Valley and Shenandoah Valley exchanged plenty of jabs, but the biggest blow in a 34-6 Panthers decision came from fleet-footed Louis Clouser.

With the cunningness of an ally cat, Clouser was slick and adroit in breezing up and down Veterans Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon, setting a personal best with 238 rushing yards. He also scored three of PV’s five touchdowns.

“He runs hard when he’s in the right mood,” PV head coach Ricky Jones said in a joking manner, knowing the pulse of his senior running back. “Yeah, he gets to the edge and he is so explosive, there are very few who can catch him.”

The win flickers the fire for Panther Valley’s postseason playoff hopes in the District 11 Class AA tournament, which starts in two weeks, even though it won for only the second time in seven tries.

After snapping a 34-game losing streak Tuesday against Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech (37-34), the Blue Devils were riding a high, but quickly found themselves in a 28-0 deficit.

The contest was filled with a sea of yellow flags - fueled by unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct on both sides - and turned into a heated encounter for nearly three full quarters.

But that never seemed to slow the play of Clouser. He hit the end zone on the second series of the game.

Panther Valley did score on its first try, but that was negated by a holding call. However, the next crack the offense produced a 7-0 lead, when Clouser used his electrifying athleticism to breeze 35 yards to the end zone. Quarterback Mike Pascoe figured in the drive, too, with a 31-yard run, and added the first of his four PAT kicks.

At the onset of the second quarter, the Panthers were back in the end zone. Using all of one play, Pascoe fired a 40-yard strike to senior Julian Matula to build a 14-0 halftime lead.

“We’re just not there yet,” Jones admitted while still being encouraged. “We need (more) athletes, we need to get better at passing it … but we’re (slowly) getting there. Every week I see improvement somewhere.”

Panther Valley had a quick start to the second half, riding the legs of Clouser on the first play from scrimmage. Clouser found the edge, and nary a Blue Devil in sight to catch, as he streaked 65 yards to the end zone. Pascoe’s kick made it 21-0.

Before the period closed, the eventual winners padded their lead.

Forcing a three-and-out with its defense, Panther Valley put together a methodical 10-play drive, with the biggest one from who else but Clouser on a 25-yard run. Pascoe capped the march with a bruising 20-yard fullback-like run.

Trailing 28-0, the Blue Devils answered by driving 80 yards for their only touchdown. Quarterback Owen Kosar was the focal point in the scoring. He rang up a 19-yard run, and threw a pair of passes - the last of which went to rising sophomore Aaryn Nickerson for a 33-yard touchdown catch. Nickerson led the Devils with 70 yards in receptions.

“We’re a little beat up right now,” said Ed Moran, the first-year Shenandoah coach. “(PV) has some great kids, the Clouser boy is very tough as you can see. But we’re battling and that’s all I can ask.”

Clouser wasted little time after the Shenandoah Valley score to get his team back on the scoreboard. He roared 60 yards on PV’s first possession of the final period.

HE SAID IT … “Both teams had a lot of dumb penalties away from the ball,” said Coach Jones. There were a combined 30 penalties for 270 yards.

THEY DID IT … He’s short and stocky, but tough Sincere Flamer (5-8, 300) had a big day on defense; ditto for the leader of the pack - sophomore Austin Hadley (6-3, 222). Not to be overlooked, senior Antonio Perilli (6-1, 262) also turned in a solid effort.

HIS STOCK IS RISING … Jaden Shubeck is the head of the class on defense. The senior 5-11, 194-pound linebacker is the guy that make things happen. Early in the fourth quarter, Shubeck deflected a Kosar pass that looked like a possible completion. Had it connected, it may have been six more SV points.