The Panorama football team will try and earn another game tonight.

The Panthers have shown leaps and bounds of improvement compared to this time last season. Their 8-1 record was good enough to earn a spot in the Class 1A state playoffs. A year ago Panorama handed the keys over to Mike Kauzlarich to try to get the program back to consistent success. The 2018 Panthers were coming off the schools first losing season in more than a decade. In year one of the Kauzlarich era, Panorama found their way back above .500 and earned a 5-4 record. In 2019 the Panthers kept growing and built on that winning culture. The last time Panorama played in a post-season game, they fell to Dike-New Hartford in 2015.

Panorama has been led by their defense all season. It took three weeks for the Panther defense to allow a single point. Panorama rolled through their first six games, outscoring their opponents 155-44 during that span. In their seventh game, they ran into Van Meter, who hasn’t lost a regular season game since the season opener in 2015. Panorama suffered their first loss at the hands of the Bulldogs falling 20-0. Van Meter would go off to cap their perfect season. The 20-point differential was the closest contest Van Meter has had entering the playoffs. The Panthers bounced back and got back to their winning ways winning their final two games to finish 8-1.

On the offensive side of the ball, Panorama has been led by the three-headed beast that is Dominic Walker, Luke South, and Michael Allen. The trio account for 27 of the teams 30 touchdowns. Walker has been their go-to option behind center. He enters the game with 977 yards, 10 touchdowns, and a quarterback rating of 122. On the ground, Walker also leads the teams with 312 yards and another eight trips to paydirt. South has been their jack-of-all trades. The senior has 282 rushing yards and six touchdowns. South also has 14 catches for 213 with one touchdown. Allen has emerged over the back-nine of the season and has found the endzone twice for the Panthers.

Panorama will have their hands full with New-Dike Hartford. The Wolverines were the state runner-ups in 2018 and are hungry to get back to the dome. Dike-New Hartford has hardly broken a sweat through their first nine game, winning all nine of them, and outscoring their opponents 425-54. The Wolverines 20-point win in week two was their closest game to date. Dike-New Hartford is one of just a few schools in the state with a player with more than 1,500 passing yards, then another with 1,300 rushing yards. Behind center Drew Sonnenberg has led the way with 1,515 yards, 21 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. Cade Bennett has been the teams go-to option on the ground with 1,346 yards and 21 touchdowns. Bennett’s 138 points scored is fourth highest in Class 1A.

You can listen to the game live on K107.9 F.M. A live stream will also be available on RaccoonValleyRadio.com and on the free KKRF mobile app. Pre-game coverage will get underway at 6 p.m. with kickoff to follow at 7 p.m.