The Princeton football team had a tough start to the season, losing three of its first five to state-ranked teams.

The last two weeks, the Tigers started slowly before pulling away in the second half.

On Friday in the regular-season finale at Bryant Field, the Tigers put everything together.

Princeton scored on all five of its first-half drives - two set up by interceptions - and the Tigers rolled to a 48-0 rout of playoff-bound Erie-Prophetstown.

“That was the most complete game we’ve played all year,” Princeton coach Ryan Pearson said. “It’s really a testament to our kids. We felt like we’ve played really, really well the last couple weeks in the second half, and our challenge to them was to come out of the gate and play four full quarters.

“I really thought our kids answered the bell tonight.”

The victory locks up Princeton’s seventh consecutive playoff appearance with its sixth win of the season and its fourth in a row.

“This is Princeton football,” senior lineman Grady Cox said. “We were waiting on this all season. We had a slow start to the season, but we got it together. We’re ready for playoffs.”

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Panthers (6-3), who will head to the playoffs for the second year in a row.

“We did not play too well,” E-P coach Tyler Whitebread said. “We couldn’t match their physicality, so you have to give them credit for that. I was a little disappointed that some of our defensive struggles led into offensive issues, or some of our offensive struggles led into defensive issues. I think our guys were holding onto plays that happened prior, and it just affected them. Our first half all around wasn’t very good.

“At this point, this game doesn’t matter. Nothing that happened in the past matters. We have to refocus, regroup and play better and figure out who we’re going to play and get a new game plan.”

The Tigers received the opening kickoff and needed just six plays to score.

QB Gavin Lanham handed to Brennen Emmett, who flipped it to Jack Pester coming around the other way. Oester took it around the left side for a 14-yard touchdown.

The Princeton defense then forced a three-and-out, but the Panthers’ punt snap sailed out of the back of the end zone for a safety.

The Tigers scored again when Casey Etheridge dropped the snap, picked it back up and got outside for a 7-yard TD.

“I thought this was the best game we’ve played,” Etheridge said. “We came out a lot better in the first half than we have in previous games, and I thought that showed for the rest of the game.”

The rest of the first half continued the same way for the Tigers. E-P pinned Princeton on its own 4-yard line on a punt, but Etheridge broke free and raced 87 yards for a score.

“I had great blocks up front, even my quarterback Gavin Lanham had a great hit on their quarterback, and that allowed it to open up,” Etheridge said. “They gave me great space. I just had to finish the run. They did all the work.”

Back-to-back picks set up two more scores for Princeton.

Cox got a hand on a screen pass and corralled it to set up the Tigers on the E-P 20, which led to a 3-yard TD by Lane Goskusky.

“This is my second one,” Cox said. “They ran that screen play. It’s the same screen play I feel like every team runs. You just have to sit on it.

“It really boosted everyone’s momentum.”

Abe Longeville intercepted a pass at the 36 and returned it to the 5. Princeton had first-and-goal at the 10 after a false start. The Tigers fooled the defense as they ran a fake reverse, but actually gave it to Emmett up the middle for the score with 5 seconds left in the first half for a 35-0 lead.

The running clock started when Etheridge scored a 15-yard TD on Princeton’s first drive of the third quarter. He finished with 213 yards and three TDs on 14 carries.

Princeton, which racked up 416 rushing yards on 36 carries and didn’t attempt a pass, added a 41-yard TD by Ayden Agushi in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers held E-P to 2 rushing yards and 43 passing yards in the first half. Noah Wetzell finished with 62 rushing yards on 14 carries, while Keegan Winckler was 2 of 7 for 43 yards and two interceptions while running for 29 yards on 11 attempts.

“We had a lot of film this week,” Etheridge said. “We knew their key players. They had some really talented backs, but I thought we did really well rallying to the ball.”

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Princeton's Casey Etheridge runs the ball during the Tigers' 48-0 win over Erie-Prophetstown on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025 at Bryant Field in Princeton. (Mike )