By Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHESAPEAKE— The Chesapeake Panthers are off and running.
Snapping a 13-game losing streak, the Panthers used an impressive running game to beat the Racine Southern Tornadoes 12-6 in the season opener on Friday.
The Panthers racked up 277 yards rushing led by Aaron Ross with 91 yards on 14 carries and Camron Shockley running 9 times for 70 yards.
Marcus Burnside added 52 yards on 13 tries, Ryan Martin had 50 yards on 9 attempts and Curtis Brandenburg chipped in 28 yards on 7 rushes.
“Our kids played hard and we executed well. Our line did a nice job and all our backs ran hard,” said Panthers’ coach Todd Knipp.
Southern took a 6-0 lead when Carson Reuter went one-yard for a touchdown on a fourth-and-goal with 4:57left in the first quarter.
The conversion run failed.
Chesapeake tied the game when Shockley capped the scoring drive with a 21-yard run with 5:21 left in the half. The Panthers conversion run failed.
The Panthers took the lead when Ross bolted 36 yards for what proved to be the winning touchdown with 6:53 on the third quarter clock.
Again, the conversion run failed but Chesapeake was up 12-6.
The Tornadoes had a chance to tie the game but a pass reception was fumble out into and out of the end zone for a touchback late in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Josiah Smith was 8-of-23 passing for 139 yards and carried the ball 17 times for 89 yards as Southern gained 139 yards rushing. Reuter added 38 yards on 9 carries and the Tornadoes had 260 total yards.
The Panthers had 283 total yards.
Southern 6 0 0 0 = 6
Chesapeake 0 6 6 0 = 12
First Quarter
RS — Layne Reuter 1 run (pass failed) 4:57
Second Quarter
Ch — Camron Shockley 21 run (run failed) 5:21
Third Quarter
Ch — Aaron Ross 36 run (run failed) 6:53
———
RS Ch
First downs 9 15
Rushes-yards 31-139 57-277
Passing yards 121 6
Total yards 260 283
Cmp-Att-Int 8-23-1 1-2-0
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 4-39 7-50
Punts-average 3-13.7 5-29.2
———
Individual Leaders
RUSHING–Southern: Josiah Smith 17-89, Carson Rueter 9-38, Bradie McCauley 5-12; Chesapeake: Marcus Burnside 13-52, Ryan Martin 9-50, Aaron Ross 14-91, Camron Shockley 9-70, Curtis Brandenburg 7-28, Jacob Harris 5-minus 14.
PASSING–Southern: Josiah Smith 8-23-1 121; Chesapeake: Jacob Harris 1-2-0 6.
RECEIVING–Southern: Derek Griffith 1-18, Zach Thomas 1-2, Bradie McCulley 1-24, Kolten Thomas 3-26, Damien Miller 1-54; Chesapeake: Camron Shockley 1-6.