The Perryville Pirate defense bent but never broke in its home opener Friday night. The Pirates kicked off the season at home with a 16-0 win against the Fredericktown Blackcats.
The Pirates won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. This led to an opening drive touchdown and a 7-0 lead in just under a minute of play. A series of short runs and passes set up sophomore quarterback Lucas Buchheit for a 39-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Bryce Weber. Junior kicker Xzyavier Wilson added the extra point.
The defense then proved strong early, forcing a three and out on its first drive against the Blackcat offense, forcing a fumble and a sack on the opening drive as well.
Perryville’s offense was driving down the field on its second drive, but the drive ended in an interception on a fourth down conversion attempt in the red zone.
The Fredericktown offense took over deep in their own territory. The Pirate defense again stepped up, forcing the Blackcat running back to recover his own fumble in the end zone on second and long, and pouncing on the back to force a safety.
The first quarter came to an end with the Pirates up 9-0 and driving toward the end zone once again.
Early in the second quarter, Perryville began to pass the ball more, with a trio of long gains through the air that went 48, 18, and 19 yards to three different receivers; Wilson, Joshua Gremaud, and Jacob King.
This set Buchheit up to punch the ball into the end zone on a 1-yard keeper for the second Perryville Touchdown of the half. Wilson’s extra point brought the Pirate lead to 16-0.
This score would last the rest of the game. The defense was able to make several key stops throughout the remainder of the game to fight off the Fredericktown offense and preserve the shut out.
Senior Gunner Britt recovered a fumble in the red zone to prevent the Blackcats from scoring midway through the second quarter.
PHS freshman Wyatt Buchmann forced a sack late in the half with Fredericktown in field goal range and threatening to score for the first time, leading to an incompletion and a turnover on downs.
The Blackcats received the second half kickoff and again got into the red zone and threatened to score, but the Pirate defense again didn’t give up, forcing a fumble on fourth and two for another turnover on downs.
The Pirates then had a long offensive drive that despite not resulting in any points, took a lot of time off the clock and advanced the game into the fourth quarter.
Fredericktown’s last chance to get on the scoreboard came late in the fourth quarter when they were set up in short field possession following a short punt and a long return. The Blackcats started the drive with a first and goal on the Perryville nine yard line, but the Pirate defense made yet another key stop, forcing a turnover on downs on an incompletion in the end zone on fourth down. Perryville then took over on their own nine yard line and was able to run the ball, get a final first down, and take a knee to run out the final seconds and take the victory.
Head coach Brent Roth said he expected the team to be physical and play good defense.
“I knew our defense was going to be talented,” Roth said. “I knew we were going to fly around, I knew we were physical. And they proved that tonight. We were sticking people tonight and made some hard hits. So we did our job as well. It seemed to be pretty disciplined.”
Roth said that there is still stuff for both he and the team to work on in practice, with his team of mostly new players.
“We just had some operating errors,” Roth said. A few substitution issues with our personnel, and then guys are cramping. We had a tough time just getting into the right formation sometimes, just simple little stuff. So we’re a talented football team. I think we proved that tonight. So really I put a lot of weight on my shoulders to make sure that we get this talented football team oiled up a little bit and not being so disorganized and chaotic.”
Perryville will have a short week as they go on the road for the first time in 2026 this Thursday night against DeSoto. The Pirates will host cross-town rivals St. Vincent on Friday, September 11.
