Rootstown earns a hard fought 14-13 comeback win at Southeast
PALMYRA, OH- It was Thursday Night Light’s in Palmyra as the host Southeast Pirates opened the 2026 football season by welcoming in their backyard rival Rootstown Rovers. It was the first meeting since 2023, but will become an annual matchup with both schools joining the newly formed Greater Portage Athletic Conference (GPAC) starting next season. As you would expect from a week 1 rivalry game it came down to the end with Rootstown coming away with a 14-13 win after trailing 13-0 at the half.
The Pirates struck first on the opening drive of the game when Tyler Shaw, after a bad snap, recovered to throw a 65-yard touchdown strike to Nathaniel Rivera to get Southeast the early lead. The PAT conversion was no good as the Pirates led 6-0 just two and a half minutes into this one.
It was a battle of the defenses the rest of the quarter. The Rovers would move the ball down to the Pirates 5-yard line in the 2nd quarter before a critical fumble turned it over to Southeast at the 6.
The Pirates would then go on a 13 play, 94 yard drive with Shaw completing a 24-yard pass to Drake Longgood and adding a 17-yard touchdown run a few plays later to cap off the drive. The PAT was converted and the Pirates took a 13-0 lead late in the 2nd.
Tyler Shaw with a 17-yard TD run to put Southeast up 13-0
Rootstown was unable to do anything with their last drive of the half, and the Pirates took a 13-0 lead into the break.
The Rovers were forced to punt on their first possession of the 2nd half. They would then come up with a big play on defense to swing the momentum. Sophomore LB Grayson Rantilla would pick off a Shaw pass and get a nice return to set the Rovers up at the Pirates 5-yard line. Two plays later Blake Mullaly punched it in from a yard out to get Rootstown on the board. Mullaly would complete the PAT to cut the Pirates lead to 13-7.
Blake Mullaly with the TD to get the Rovers on the board in the 3rd
The next three possessions would all end in punts carrying over to the 4th quarter where the Rovers would get nice punt return from Max McEwuen to setup an Ayden Moyer 14-yard touchdown scamper to tie it up at 13. Mullaly would do what he does best, splitting the uprights for his second PAT and a 14-13 Rovers lead with 7:21 to play in the game.
Ayden Moyer puts the Rovers ahead in the 4th on this 14-yard TD run
Southeast had on more opportunity. Facing a 4th and 7 in Rovers territory, Shaw would roll to the left for a pass that was broken up turning the ball over on downs to Rootstown with only 33 seconds to play. From there the Rovers ran out the clock for the 14-13 win over their longtime rival. The win gave the Rovers possession of the inaugural Dunn Rivalry Trophy which will go to the winner of each matchup moving forward.
Southeast Superintendent Bob Dunn presents the Dunn Rivalry Trophy to Rootstown postgame
Blake Mullaly would earn R&S Landscaping & Excavating Player of the Game honors as he amassed 144 total yard with a touchdown and 2 extra point conversions. Max McEwuen had 90 total yards between rushing and receiving as well as a nice 2nd half punt return setting up the last touchdown.
Tyler Shaw had a nice performance for the Pirates with 130 total yards and two touchdowns.
The Pirates will look to rebound next Friday when the travel to Grand Valley while the Rovers look to keep it rolling at Independence.
I spoke with Mullaly, McEwuen and head coach Tom Hannan after the big win.
