HANOVER ― Licking Valley may be junior dominated in 2026, but it knows where to look in big moments, and who to look for.
“We’ve always had a big class, number wise, and we had a lot of growth in middle school,” said junior wideout-defensive back Carter Nethers, who missed last year with a torn meniscus. “I know their class is small, but I’ve always looked up to the seniors, listen to them and have my ears open on everything they’re saying.”
For three seasons, quarterback Brody Rodgers has been loud and clear with his play, and he not only connected with Nethers on a crucial 35-yard post route on third-and-8 but ran for two touchdowns as the Panthers staved off visiting Sheridan 28-13 on Aug. 21 in Randy Baughman Stadium. Classmate Brandt Lichtenauer, already a defensive standout, showed he is also going to be key on offense as Valley ran its season-opening win streak to three against their rivals.
The Panthers led 21-13 early in the fourth when Rodgers found Nethers down the left sideline to the Generals’ 16, and Dylan Keeley’s 1-yard TD run with 9:41 left pushed it out to 28-13 after the fourth consecutive PAT kick by Levi Lewis. T.J. Connors made a great leaping catch for 25 yards from Tyce Whiteman, but Nethers teamed up with senior Griffin Williams to stop Connor Roshon short of the end zone on fourth-and-goal.
“That play is our bread and butter,” Nethers said of the post. “We run it all the time. I ran my route to perfection, and we know if we need it we can take that shot. I was kind of surprised I ended up playing both ways, and I was pretty gassed, but it was great to experience that.”
Said Rodgers: “I missed him a couple of times, and I just try to get it high enough and let him run under it. We’ve been preparing for them since January, watched a lot of film, and they normally play Cover 3, but a couple of times they went to man and we were able to clear out and get a better play. They also came out in some different fronts, and our line was able to adjust and leave me in great position to step up into the pocket.”
While dropping the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Whiteman four times for losses totaling 21 yards and coming up with six tackles for loss, Valley controlled much of the first half.
Rodgers hit tight end Damian Rudasill for 21 yards and Lichtenauer for 23, setting up his 9-yard TD run on which he completely reversed field for a 7-0 lead. Sheridan coach Paul Culver III has seen plenty of that during the past three seasons.
“I told him I’m happy he’s finally graduating,” Culver said.
Said stadium namesake and Hall of Fame coach Baughman: “Just his presence on the field. He’s such a playmaker, such a clutch player and tonight he made those plays again.”
Then, on an 11-play, 87-yard drive to a 14-0 lead, Rodgers started it with a 16-yard run. Peyton George ran for 15, and on fourth-and-10 Lichtenauer turned a swing pass into a 25-yard gain down the left sideline, dodging and spinning past tacklers. Keeley then scored on a 6-yard run.
“Brandt is a stud, such an all-around athlete, and you’ve already seen what he can do in baseball,” Nethers said.
Sheridan was far from finished. Whiteman drove his team 81 yards in eight plays, connecting with Ross Holman for 22, Reed Parkison for 28 and keeping for an 8-yard TD with 10 seconds in the half. Liam Gutridge kicked the PAT.
On the second play of the second half, Whiteman hit James Solomon with a quick out, and he raced 66 yards down the left sideline, slashing it to 14-13. But the kick was wide, and Valley never relinquished the lead.
“It’s a senior-laden team, and we went in at halftime with momentum and were expecting to come back.” Culver said. “But the way Valley blitzes and stunts, it made it hard for our kids with replacing three starters up front. And their play-calling is so surgical.”
The Panthers responded with a 52-yard drive, only to be stopped on downs at the Sheridan 14. Then the game turned on one play.
The Generals fumbled the exchange on an attempted reverse and Blaine Creech recovered at the 7, setting up Rodgers’ 5-yard touchdown run and 21-13 lead. It was the only turnover of the game.
“It was like popping a balloon,” Culver lamented. “I believed the play was there, believed in the receiver trying to make the play. Thought it was going to pop and we worked on it a few times, but I guess not enough. That was totally on me.”
Baughman was happy with his team’s resilience.
“For having so many new starters, there was no sense of panic in them,” he said. “Everything was calm at halftime, and that’s a credit to our seniors. Our defense played lights out. It was constant quickness and moving people around.”
Valley held Sheridan to a net 14 yards rushing and tailback Logan Russell to 27 yards on 10 carries. But Whiteman went 11 of 19 for 214 yards and hit six different receivers, with Parkison grabbing four for 69 yards and Solomon two for 77.
Rodgers went 9 for 17 for 135 yards, with Lichtenauer catching three for 53 yards and Nethers two for 40. Keeley picked up a hard-earned 61 yards in 18 tries with Rodgers adding 11 for 42 and Lichtenauer had 15 yards on a reverse. But the Panthers were limited to 138 yards on the ground.
Culver still came away with a positive outlook on his team.
“The last couple of times against them, it felt like we had some problems,” he said. “This time, it seems like we have a really good football team.”
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking Valley uses big plays, shoves aside Sheridan’s comeback bid
Reporting by Dave Weidig, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dave Weidig, Newark Advocate | USA TODAY Network
