By STEPHEN MONAHAN
Register Correspondent
SPRINGTOWN — Questions surrounded whether Muenster quarterback Levi Trubenbach would be healthy enough to play Friday’s area playoff game against Perrin-Whitt.
The senior signal-caller previously was injured in the bi-district win over Wolfe City a week prior, but returned to action later in the contest.
The injury situation nearly was a moot point as the senior quarterback started against the Pirates. While he did not play even two quarters, Trubenbach was efficient enough to help led the Hornets to a 39-14 win over Perrin-Whitt at New Porcupine Stadium in Springtown.
The win puts Muenster (9-3) in the regional semifinal round against Albany next week.
Muenster used all facets of the game, including special teams, to help coast on the next round of the playoffs.
All three phases scored for the Hornets as special teams and the defense each recorded touchdowns.
Chase Hammer blocked a punt and returned it 10 yards for a score while Eric Hellman recovered a fumble for a 20-yard touchdown — one of three trips to the end zone Hellman made Friday.
Trubenbach later was replaced by Tyler Andele who managed the offense well in Trubenbach’s absence, engineering two scoring drives in the second half.
Muenster scored early and often in the first half, two of which were not offensive touchdowns.
The Hornets, after holding the Pirates to a three-and-out on their opening drive, completed a seven-play, 70-yard drive when Trubenbach hit Hellman for a 6-yard touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead.
On Perrin-Whitt’s ensuing possession, Hammer and a number of the Hornets defensive front broke through the line on a punt attempt. The end result was a 10-yard punt block return by Hammer to put his team up 13-0 after a failed two-point conversion.
Muenster tacked on two more scores in the second quarter thanks to a 9-yard touchdown pass from Trubenbach to Hellman and the fumble return by Hellman, giving the Hornets a 26-0 lead at the half.
The lead became 33-0 late in the third after Anderle, Trubenbach’s replacement, hit Dalton Koelzer for a 10-yard scoring strike.
Perrin-Whitt did make things interesting late in the fourth when it scored 14 points in 11 seconds.
After Pirate quarterback Dusty Salazar his Brycen McGee for a 22-yard score with 5:48 to play, the two hooked up again on the ensuing possession following an onside kick recovery. Salazar went deep to McGee from 51 yards out to cut the lead to 33-14.
The Pirates’ following onside kick attempt was recovered by Justin Evans, but the officiating crew determined Evans touched the ball prior to the ball traveling 10 yards, giving the ball back to Muenster at midfield with a little more than five minutes left in regulation.
Muenster scored on that ensuing drive after starting running back Chris Valliere rumbled 23 yards for paydirt with 2:44 left.
After coughing up the ball to Wolfe City six times last week, the Hornets were able to keep a handle on the ball most of the game, throwing just two interceptions in the win. The Hornets meanwhile forced four total turnovers, resulting in 14 points.
