LENA — It may not have been pretty, but when the only thing that matters is what the scoreboard says, ugly was beautiful Friday for Eastland/Pearl City.

The Wildcats turned the ball over five times, but it didn’t matter as E/PC went on the road and topped Lena-Winslow 34-21 on homecoming.

The Panthers would try to match Eastland/Pearl City with four turnovers of their own.

The game got off to an auspicious start for the Wildcats as on the first play from scrimmage Lena-Winslow’s Trey Griffin knocked the ball loose from an E/PC ball carrier.

Alex Holcomb picked it up and raced 25 yards for a Panther touchdown just 15 seconds into the game.

The Wildcats wouldn’t waste much time striking back, as after a long kickoff return, Jerime Coombes would score the equalizer on the second play of the drive.

The game looked like it would be a track meet, as the teams traded scores again.

The Wildcats would take their first lead as quarterback Carson Walker connected with Tony Dunlap on a 55-yard touchdown strike.

The scoring pass would be the second of three touchdown passes for Walker, as he passed for 186 yards on the evening.

The Wildcats would not add the extra point, though, making it 20-14.

Lena-Winslow would come right back as Wes Ertmer would score on a 5-yard run.

A Kolton Kempel kick would give the Panthers their last lead of the night.

Ertmer rushed for 171 yards on a season-high 31 carries.

While the Panthers answered quickly for the lead, the Wildcats would answer even quicker, as Joe Myers returned the ensuing kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown.

Walker’s last scoring pass of the night, a 22-yard strike to Cole Miller, would ice the game.

The win puts the Wildcats (4-3 overall, 4-1 in the NUIC Northwest) closer to the postseason, while Lena-Winslow’s loss keeps the Panthers (5-2, 4-2 NUIC) from being a playoff lock.

- Scott Holland, Gatehouse News Service