PERKINS TWP. — In a defense-dominated thriller with championship implications, Danny Buga drilled a 35-yard field goal with just 10 seconds remaining on Friday night to lift Perkins to a dramatic 10-7 victory over Tiffin Columbian at Firelands Health Stadium. With the victory, the Pirates claimed the Northern Ohio Conference (NOC) Lake Division title in thrilling fashion. Both defenses set the tone early in a game where yards were hard-earned and open space was scarce. Perkins outgained Tiffin by a razor-thin margin of 289 total yards to 285. The Pirates opened the scoring late in the first quarter when quarterback Grant Kuhnle capped an offensive drive with a 4-yard touchdown run at the 3:24 mark. Buga added the extra point to put Perkins ahead 7-0 early. Tiffin responded early in the second quarter. Quarterback Logan Gooding connected with Daelan Brandeberry on a 13-yard touchdown pass with 9:49 left in the half, and Ryker Kidwell’s successful PAT leveled the score at 7-7 heading into halftime. Neither team surrendered an inch throughout a scoreless third quarter and deep into the fourth. Perkins' defense stepped up when it mattered most, forcing two critical Tiffin fumbles. Kaden Legando and Landon Flores each recorded a fumble recovery to stall key Tiffin possessions and turn the tide in the turnover battle (2-0 Perkins). Offensively, Perkins found balance on the ground and through the air: Grant Kuhnle: Directed the offense with precision, completing 14 of 20 passes for 163 yards while adding 35 yards and a rushing touchdown on the ground. Connor Smith: Paced the Pirates' rushing attack with 56 yards on 13 carries. Smith also chipped in with two catches for 13 yards and returned a kickoff. Kaden Legando: Led all receivers with 6 receptions for 97 yards, including a team-long 38-yard catch. JoJo Moore: Added 35 yards on 8 carries to bolster the ground game. The Pirates have now was 5 straight conference titles. They earned the 3 seed in the playoffs after going 10-0 during the regular season. They will host the winner of Bellevue and Highland on November 6th at FirelandsHealth Stadium.