Another shutout for Penn football sends Kingsmen to sectional final

MISHAWAKA — Led by its two ballhawk senior cornerbacks each intercepting a pass, Penn swooped in on yet another shutout win, beating Elkhart 35-0 in Friday night’s Class 6A sectional opener at Freed Field.

Dominic Bonner’s 54-yard pick six put the Kingsmen up 35-0 early in the third quarter and triggered a running clock the rest of the way as No. 8 Penn (9-1) advanced to a second straight home playoff game next week when No. 11 Warsaw (9-1) visits for the sectional championship.

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“We practice every single day with the mindset of getting better,” said Vince Horner, who secured his team-leading fifth pick of the year in the first quarter. “We know what we’re capable of, and props to everybody on our defense for having the same great effort every single week.”

Penn registered its fourth straight shutout to extend what was already the program’s best such string in 10 years, and its sixth in its last seven outings for its smallest window to a half-dozen since posting six straight in 2000.

The Kingsmen offense, which didn’t score until well into the third quarter during Penn’s 21-0 regular-season win over the Lions six weeks ago, didn’t have nearly as much trouble this time around.

Senior quarterback Nolan McCullough rushed for three touchdowns as the hosts took a 28-0 lead by their first drive of the third quarter.

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McCullough closed at 91 yards on nine keepers and added 9-of-16 throwing for 163 yards despite sitting out most of the second half.

Junior flanker Kellen Watson caught four passes for 95 yards, all in the first half, while senior running back Jake Balis rushed 14 times for 58 yards.

“You obviously hope guys are going to improve and grow through the course of a year,” Penn coach Cory Yeoman said, “and I think that’s something that’s continuing to happen with our offense.”

Play of the game

Elkhart (3-7) had moved the ball some in the first half, but Bonner’s sideline pickoff and return with 8:27 remaining in the third period sealed the Lions’ fate.

“I was just in the right spot and it kind of came to me,” Bonner said of his third interception on the year, “and then I just had to throw on the burners a little bit.”

What they said

“(Elkhart’s) got some big-play guys, so we just tried to keep the ball in front of us, tackle well in space, get off the field, and I thought our guys played some great team defense tonight … and then Vince and Dom, they’re just two really good cover corners. They’ve played a lot of football for us the last three years. They’re ballhawks, good athletes back there, which helps a lot.” — Cory Yeoman, Penn football coach

Up next

Penn will take a seven-game winning streak into its matchup with Warsaw next week. The Tigers won their fourth straight game Friday, knocking off No. 9 Carroll 31-17.

Warsaw and the Kingsmen have one opponent in common this season, with Penn knocking off visiting Mishawaka 28-7 way back in Week 2, while the Tigers fell 34-11 to the Cavemen in Week 6.

Penn 35, Elkhart 0

At Everwise Freed Field, Mishawaka

SCORING PLAYS

FIRST QUARTER

P: Nolan McCullough 41-yard run at 9:51 (Dylan DeDario kick).

P: Jake Balis 2-yard run at 3:01 (DeDario kick).

SECOND QUARTER

P: McCullough 1-yard run at 8:30 (DeDario kick).

THIRD QUARTER

P: McCullough 26-yard run at 9:32 (DeDario kick).

P: Dominic Bonner 54-yard interception return at 8:27 (DeDario kick).

SCORING PLAYS (By quarter):FIRST QUARTER

V: xxxxx xxxxx 5 run (xxxxx xxxxxx kick), time

H: FG xxxx xxxxx 32, time

SECOND QUARTER

V: xxxx xxxxxx 15 pass from xxxx xxxxxx (xxxxxx kick), time

V: FG xxxxxx 35, time

THIRD QUARTER

V: xxxx xxxxx 98 kickoff return (kick failed), time

FOURTH QUARTER

H: xxxx xxxxxx 8 run (xxxxx pass from xxxx), time

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Penn football shut outs Elkhart in IHSAA Class 6A Sectional semifinal