Trojans Defeat Panthers 55-34

Union County Panthers vs North Hall Trojans

Varsity Football

October 13, 2017

Location: Gainesville, GA

 

As seemingly dark clouds passed slowly over the stadium during Senior Night festivities, the fans were weary of a lengthy football game ahead.  Fortunately, it was all an allusion and the rain did not make an appearance.  With the usual 7:30pm start time, the Panthers took position behind the banner and the captains were introduced at the 50-yd line.  The captains for the game were: #8 Cole Wright, #11 RJ Banton, #24 Chad Buzzard, and #33 Jacob Ross.

North Hall received the first kickoff return and that put the Panthers in dangerous territory.  The Trojans rushed from the 20-yd line all the way to the opposite end zone and scored the first touchdown. 7-0 Trojans with 6:19 left in the first quarter. 

Determined to even out the score, Panthers #21 Sawyer Drake rushed his way up to nearly the 50-yd line on the kickoff return.  A few plays later, the Panthers scored evening out the score 7-7!

The Trojans didn’t like that much so they decided to increase the score from 7-7 all the way to 20-7 before the Panthers could score again.. womp womp womp.

The Panthers weren’t going down without a fight of course … #8 Cole Wright found #22 Austin Pattee in the air on the lefthand side of the end zone from the 9-yd line for another touchdown! 20-14 Trojans with 7:17 left in the second quarter.

Forced to punt due to their lack of advancement, the Trojans put the ball back in the hands of the Panthers.  #8 Cole Wright went big on the first play; a 40-yd pass to #21 Sawyer Drake into the end zone for another touchdown!  This momentarily evened out the score 20-20 with 5:30 left in the half.

As I said before, this was only momentary as the Trojans scored on the kickoff return; a 97-yd rush up field into the end zone.  27-20 Trojans with 5:18 left in the half.

Once again, the Trojans went on a scoring spree and put up 2 more touchdowns before the Panthers could score their final. 41-20 Trojans with 1:05 left in the third quarter.

Panthers scored their second-to-last touchdown at the beginning of the fourth quarter.  It was acquired by a series of passing yards and completed with a 1-yd rush by #24 Chad Buzzard! 41-27 Trojans.

Trojans retaliate and score another set of touchdowns throughout the fourth quarter and leave the final touchdown to the Panthers.  #8 Cole Wright rushes his way into the end zone on the righthand side.  Making the final score 55-34 North Hall.

The Panthers are now 4-4 overall and unfortunately, will not make it into the 2017 Playoffs.  Up next they face the Fannin County Rebels at home on October 27, 2017 at 7:30PM for their Senior Night.

 

 

The JV Panthers have one final game verses Rabun County away at 5:30PM on October 26, 2017.

TEAM STATISTICS

RUSHING – 114 yards          PASSING – 436 yards

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Panthers: #8 C. Wright 12-100 (2 TD); #24 C. Buzzard 4-14 (1 TD); #22 A. Pattee 2-11; #14 R. Barrett 1-(-5); #14 E. Strayer 1-(-6)  Total: 114 Rushing Yards

PASSING — Panthers: #8 C. Wright 30/44; 436 (2 TD) Total: 436 Passing Yards

RECEIVING — Panthers: #22 A. Pattee 13-168 (1 TD);#21 S. Drake 4-132 (1 TD); #4 K. Hemphill 6-71;  #18 L. Dyer 3-27; #12 S. Dobbins 2-14; #15 C. Dockery 1-14; #84 1-10; #20 C. Rich 1-8