The Miami Trace Panthers inaugurated the Mike Bernard coaching era with a resounding 37-0 win at home over the Circleville Tigers Friday night.

Miami Trace was able to run the ball successfully, while holding Circleville’s running game nearly in check.

The Panthers rushed 44 times for a net of 238 yards. Tom Armstrong had 15 carries or 111 yards and three touchdowns.

Grant Jones carried 14 times for 70 yards.

For the Tigers, as a team they carried 30 times for a net of just 25 yards.

Miami Trace had 259 yards of total offense while taming the Tigers by holding them to just 39 total yards of offense.

“Our young men and our coaching staff really worked hard for this victory,” Bernard said on the field following his first head coaching victory. “They deserved this win tonight. I thought they did an outstanding job.

“I thought we played hard from the beginning to the end,” Bernard said. “We’ve made a point of emphasis to play all four quarters of the game, no matter what game it is; and play with class and respect. I’m very, very proud of all these football players and all of our coaches for their performance.”

Miami Trace played virtually mistake-free football Friday. Circleville did have one interception (by Josh Hatfield) of a Caleb Redding pass, but that turned out to be about the same as a punt as the Tigers took over at their one-yard line and could not move the ball very far out of that position.

“We had a lot of kids playing for the first time under the lights and it showed tonight,” Circleville head coach Keith Downing said. “Coach Bernard’s offensive line and defensive line handled us pretty well tonight up front.

“We made some mistakes tonight,” Downing said. “They had the field position. They won the kicking game tonight. We need to get better on our special teams, as well.”

Circleville had five fumbles on the night, losing two, including one that Panther senior Cody Beatty recovered and rumbled in eight yards for a touchdown.

Panther junior Tom Armstrong had three rushing touchdowns in the game, the first was an eight-yard run with 58.9 seconds remaining in the first quarter for the first score of the season.

Armstrong’s second score was a 43-yard rush with 3:17 to be played in the second quarter.

Armstrong’s third score came with 4:30 to play in the game on a three-yard bolt.

Junior Brett Garland was four of four in extra point kicks and made three field goals. The three-pointers were: from 28 yards at the 9:09 mark of the second quarter; from 32 yards with 4.7 to play in the first half and a 25-yarder with 3:04 remaining in the third quarter.

Beatty’s fumble recovery and return for a score came with 3:08 on the clock in the second quarter.

“I thought a key point in the ball game was the (43-yard touchdown by Armstrong),” Bernard said. “We’re going to committ to being a physical football team. We’re not going to give in. We’re going to come at you on every play.

“The fumble recovery for a touchdown was really a back-breaker,” Bernard said. “I thought we kept our poise at the end of the first half. We had a nice completion that set up one of Brett’s three field goals. I thought Brett Garland was a huge part of this game tonight; his kickoffs, his extra points and his field goals.”

Bernard was pleased with the Panther play in the trenches, rushing well and limiting what Circleville could do on the ground.

“Our rushing game was outstanding,” Bernard said. “We’re emphasizing being physical at the point of attack. We feel real happy with all four of our running backs right now; Tommy and Grant (Jones) and Ryan Garland and Colt Ward.

“As an old offensive lineman and offensive line coach, it all starts up front,” Bernard said. “I was extremely pleased from what I saw from the sidelines with our front offensive and defensive lines. I thought they really controlled the game from early on.”

Bernard was appreciative of the defensive effort, getting the shutout of the Tigers.

“We defensed them about as well as we could,” Bernard said. “Circleville is a great football team with a great program. Coach (Keith) Downing does a great job. We couldn’t be happier with the win tonight.

“As we told the kids just a second ago, 2-0 sounds better than 1-0,” Bernard said.

The Panthers will look to improve to 2-0 when they play at Wilmington College against the Wilmington Hurricane next week.

The Panthers play the Wilmington Hurricane next Friday night at Wilmington College at 7:30 p.m.

The Tigers travel back to Fayette County next week to take on the Washington Blue Lions. Logan Elm beat the Blue Lions 27-6 Friday night.

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