JOHN GLENN - Oct. 10, 2008 - It took awhile for Standish-Sterling's football team to start hitting on all cylinders this season despite the Panthers staying unbeaten through a bizarre first month.

But with Friday's 34-7 victory over John Glenn in a matchup between unbeatens -- both ranked in the top three in their respective divisions -- proved that now that they've gotten untracked, the Panthers are ready to put the pedal to the metal as the get ready for the post-season.

SSC wrapped up the first back-to-back NEMC championships in school history with a dominating performance on both sides of the ball.

"This was huge," said SSC coach Paul Walderzak. "We looked at it as a no-presssure situation for us, playing as a Division 5 school against a Division 3. But it's a huge win, it's the first time we've ever won on this field, our first back-to-back ... We played a very good game against a very good team."

"We stepped her up," said quarterback / defensive back Austin Collier, who rushed for 218 yards and two touchdowns and was 7-of-10 passing for 119 yards and three more scores. "This (league title) was our first goal, and we accomplished that goal.

"Our offensive and defensive lines were amazing tonight. They played the best games of their lives, and you've got to give this game to them."

The Panther offensive line controlled the first half as the Panthers mostly kept the ball on the ground. They ran the ball 25 times and threw just five in the first half, but Collier completed each of those passes, including scoring strikes of 24 yards to Cole Walderzak and 27 to Mark Lorence. But while Glenn usually chews the clock up with workman like run-dominated drives, it was the Panthers chewing up the clock as Trevor Trombley got the buck of the work before halftime, rushing for 80 of his 104 yards before the break.

"Trevor had some big runs,"Walderzak said. "Some of that may have been that their defense was really concentrating on Austin, but he had an excellent game."

A seven-minute, 10-play, 75-yard drive in the second quarter that ended in the Lorence score gave SSC a 15-0 halftime lead.

Collier was at his elusive best in the second half, needing just four carries to rush for 158 yards and two touchdowns, the first of which came right after Glenn opened the second half with a score that cut the lead to 15-7.

"I thank God we have him on our team," Walderzak said, "because I honestly don't know how we'd stop him. He's certainly a special player."

The Bobcats put together just one of their patented grind-it-out drives, moving 66 yards on 15 plays and burning off nearly six minutes to open the third quarter. Tyler Clemons, who led Glenn with 98 yards on 19 carries, had nine carries on that drive and scored on a 1-yard plunge to get his team back in the game.

But SSC needed just five plays to answer, with Collier's 45-yard touchdown run giving the Panthers a 21-7 lead that they would only build on.

The Glenn offense, which had to play without injured star running back Matt Balen, wasn't able to muster much more of a threat until the Panthers had the game well in hand. Clemons and fellow running backs Brandon Wrzesinski and Jordan Schumann ran hard, but also were subject to a number of bone-crushing hits by the likes of Adam Gulvas, Josh Augustine, Alex Schmidt, Kevin Reeves and company on defense.

"We felt good about our defense coming in," Walderzak said. "They were aggressive, they had great pursuit, and to hold down this offense was a great effort. Balen wasn't in the game, but they have a lot of other guys."

The Bobcats finished with 184 rushing yards on 44 carries, while quarterback Richard Watson was 6-of-14 passing for 31 yards while being pressured on nearly every throw.

SSC finished with a Glenn-like 315 yards on the ground. Lorence led the receivers with 60 yards on four catches, while Walderzak had two grabs for 35 yards.

Gulvas, who also saw some time at offensive line, led the defense with 22 total tackles. Zach Neid and Mitchell McFarland each added 10, with Schmidt and Jaron Trombley each recording sacks.

SSC built on its lead with a 22-yard screen pass from Collier to Trombley that made it 28-7 with 1:44 left in the third quarter, and a 65-yard back-breaking run by Collier midway through the fourth.

"To do this with these kids is special," Walderzak said. "I know every coach says that, but it is really true with these guy. Kids like Austin, Adam and Lorence, they're always at the school working on something.

"I'm really happy for them."

John Glenn (6-1, 3-1) hosts its second straight unbeaten foe, Saginaw Nouvel (7-0) on Friday, Oct. 17.

SSC (7-0) hits the road again Oct. 17, traveling to Suttons Bay (4-3). The Norsemen aren't quite as strong as in previous years, but are coming off back-to-back 35-6 wins over Benzie Central and Glen Lake and are fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive.

"It's a long trip North," Walderzak said. "The work starts again Monday."