PERU — Peru put up three touchdowns in the first quarter Saturday and kept its offense rolling all day.
Blake Altizer threw for three touchdowns and Hunter Bruno ran in two as the Indians thumped AuSable Valley 41-6 in Champlain Valley Athlete Conference football.
“We stressed all week just being consistent offensively,” Peru coach Nick Damiani said, noting that the Indians had some lulls last week against Ticonderoga. “And we did that. We had guys executing play after play.”
Bruno started off the scoring with a 4-yard run 2:57 into the game. Then Altizer connected on two long touchdown plays before the end of the first quarter. He hit Noah Phillips, who took off down the sideline for a 44-yard score, and then threw a 24-yard strike to Bret Boyer.
Altizer went 9-for-12 for 167 yards and an interception.
“The wide receivers ran their routes; the lineman gave me time. So I just tried to complete the pass,” he said. The sophomore now has three games under his belt as the varsity quarterback, and he said he has learned “to settle down and just have faith in my wide receivers and linemen.”
Peru went up 27-0 after Mackenzie LaRocque powered 59 yards for a score early in the second quarter. Then Bruno ran in his second of the day, and the Indians led 34-0 at the half.
Peru (2-1) gained 229 yards in the first half while limiting AuSable Valley to 34.
Phillips scored on a 34-yard passing play in the third quarter. The Patriots got on the board late in the quarter when Kodie Simpson punched it in from the three.
Phillips finished with a team-high 78 receiving yards, and Tim Remillard had three catches for 44 yards. LaRocque, who missed Week 2 with an injury, led the Indians’ ground game with 111 yards on eight carries.
“He’s a good, physical runner, and we saw that (Saturday),” Damiani said. “It was nice to get him back in the fold in the run game. I thought we had a little more power there — something we might’ve been lacking.”
Peru was without receiver Zane Bazzano (shoulder) and tackle Austin Porter (knee). Damiani was optimistic that both will return next week.
Dillon Savage ran 55 yards for AuSable Valley (0-3), and Simpson totaled 45.
The Indians have now won two in a row, and Altizer said they have some momentum. They face undefeated Beekmantown next.
“We need to keep improving and just stay focused,” Altizer said.
—
Peru 41, AuSable Valley 6
AuSable Valley 0 0 6 0 — 6
Peru 20 14 7 0 — 41
First quarter
P- Bruno 4 (Boyer kick), 2:57.
P- Phillips 44 pass from Altizer (kick missed), 10:24.
P- Boyer 24 pass from Altizer (Boyer kick), 11:40.
Second quarter
P- M. LaRocque 59 run (Boyer kick), 2:27.
P- Bruno 9 run (Boyer kick), 4:06.
Third quarter
P- Phillips 34 pass from Altizer (Boyer kick), 1:28.
AV- Simpson 3 run (run failed), 9:56.
Individual statistics
Rushing
AV- Savage 16-55; Simpson 10-45, TD; Cobb 4-11. Totals: 30-111, TD.
P- M. LaRocque 8-111, TD; Bruno 5-30, 2 TD; Remillard 4-22; Avanzato 3-22; Sarazen 4-18; R. Mason 2-3; Burr 1-0; Cunningham 1-(-4); Blake 3-(-5); Altizer 4-(-5). Totals: 33-178, 3 TD.
Passing
AV- Simpson 1-14-1-24.
P- Altizer 9-12-1-167, 3TD; Cunningham 1-2-0-6. Totals: 10-12-1-173.
Receiving
AV- Benway 1-24
P- Remillard 3-44; Boyer 3-39, TD; Phillips 2-78, 2 TD; Uliva 1-9; Cunningham 1-3.
Interceptions
AV- Cobb.
P- Hendricks.
Email Courtney Lewis:
clewis@pressrepublican.com
