HILLSDALE COUNTY — Week 7 gave Hillsdale County football fans one of the best 8-player games so far this season with a 60-54 shootout win for Pittsford over Litchfield, guaranteeing the Wildcats at least a share of the SCAA-B title and likely threepeat.
More: Pittsford powers past Litchfield behind senior rushing duo's 541 yards
Both teams look to remain in playoff projections as long as they win out, while Waldron looks to chase down a big opportunity at home this week.
Elsewhere in 8-player football, Camden-Frontier and North Adams-Jerome look to throw down in a classic rivalry matchup.
Top performers and takeaways
Pittsford, Litchfield remain playoff projection favorites
Friday’s SCAA-B thriller illustrated how quickly momentum can shift in 8-player football — and how valuable two-point conversions become.
Pittsford (5-2) erased a 26-8 halftime deficit with 38 third-quarter points to beat previously unbeaten Litchfield (6-1) 60-54. The Wildcats secured at least a share of a third consecutive conference title and can claim it outright at Waldron this week.
Ethan Pickford rushed for 297 yards and four touchdowns on 21 carries. Quarterback Hunter Peiffer added 244 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries as the Wildcats totaled 544 rushing yards. Sophomore Keaton Saurwine caught a 19-yard touchdown pass.
Litchfield (6-1) rallied from a 46-32 fourth-quarter deficit to tie the game at 54 with 4:36 remaining. Quarterback Caleb Bills threw for 345 yards and five touchdowns, rushed for 112 yards and scored three more times. Desman Lawless caught three touchdown passes and totaled 162 receiving yards.
Junior Gavin Gutting finished the game with 16 catches, 151 yards, two touchdowns, 14 1/2 tackles and an interception.
Takeaways: While non-calls and officiating complaints became the topic of discussion online amongst both fan bases, the shootout game between the Terriers and Wildcats emphasized the importance of every opportunity for extra points at the 8-player level.
Both teams missed out on 2-point tries, particularly in the first half for the Terriers that could have bolstered its lead even more heading into the second half. Pittsford missed out on a chance to grow its lead in the second half. At this level of football, regardless of the defensive pace of play, every point matters.
While Litchfield wishes it could have come out on top, the Terriers remain firmly in the 8-player Division 2 playoff projections, alongside Pittsford.
However, both teams will need to play their best football down the stretch with a Week 9 finale against Morenci (3-4) for the Terriers. For Pittsford, the Wildcats have to visit Waldron (4-3) to outright win the SCAA-B and finish the year with a road trip to Climax Scotts (6-1).
Waldron: A streak with playoff implications
Waldron (4-3) won its second straight game, routing North Adams-Jerome 60-6.
Carter Kurtz rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries and returned an interception 28 yards for another score. Isaac Fether added 94 rushing yards and three touchdowns, plus 11 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a safety.
Quarterback Elijah Winchell rushed for a touchdown, completed six passes for 45 yards and made nine tackles with a sack.
Takeaway: The Spartans remain outside the projected playoff field, but upsetting Pittsford would significantly improve their outlook and shake up the SCAA-B championship race. Waldron’s recent offensive resurgence provides reason for optimism entering its biggest remaining test of the season.
Camden-Frontier and North Adams-Jerome: Rivalry offers a reset
Camden-Frontier (1-6) fell 43-6 to Adrian Lenawee Christian, but Eryck Flores supplied a major individual effort.
Flores rushed for 167 yards and a 48-yard touchdown on 13 carries, caught a 20-yard pass and recorded 22 tackles, three tackles for loss and a blocked kick.
North Adams-Jerome fell on the road to a surging Waldron squad. Ryker Campbell paced the offensive production with 13 carries, 55 yards and a touchdown. Carter Rader led the defense with 16 total stops and one pass breakup. Chazze Northrup had 11 total tackles, including one for a loss.
The RedHawks travel to North Adams-Jerome (1-6) for both teams’ final SCAA-B matchup.
Takeaway: Neither enters the rivalry with the season it envisioned, but a head-to-head victory would give one program a much-needed lift entering the final week.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Week 7 8-player top performers, takeaways for Hillsdale County teams