Panthers defend their home turf with a 77-7 win over Sunray
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Photo courtesy of Shanna Floyd/shannafloyd.smugmug.com
Landon Krogh field the ball to rush the ball for a 1st down.
By Ann Metcalf
Panhandle picked up win number six when they annihilated Sunray 77-7 in Panhandle last Friday evening, Oct. 24. They are now 6-2 for the season and are 2-1 in district play, with two games remaining in regular season play. The Panthers will travel down Highway 60 to meet up with Highland Park tomorrow night, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m., and Spearman comes to Panhandle next Friday night for the last home game of the season.
“Friday was an extremely fun night, the kids played hard, played loose, executed well and had a lot of fun. I was proud of how the dis bounced back and performed well, it says a lot about their mental toughness and resolve,” said Coach Dane Ashley.
Panhandle kicked off to start the game, and Sunray had 1st and 10 on their 18. The Bobcats completed a pass, but Dallas Pennington made the tackle for only a 1-yard gain. Another pass completion, but this time Caden Armes tackled the receiver for no gain. On 3rd and 9, Gavan Brookshire sacked the quarterback for a loss to bring up 4th and 10. Following the punt, Panhandle had 1st and 10 on the Panther 49. Broxton Robinson passed to Landen Andrews for a 1st and 10 on the 30-yard line. Armes picked up 25 to give Panhandle a 1st and goal on the 6. Robinson passed to Armes for the touchdown. Cooper Brinkley kicked the PAT and Panhandle led 7-0 with 8:57 on the clock.
Robinson and Jaxon Downs made the stop on the kickoff and Sunray had 1st and 10 on their 21. With Brookshire, Robinson, Landon Krogh, Samuel Weinheimer and others making some good defensive plays, Sunray picked up one 1st down, but on 4th and 8 punted. Armes fielded the ball to the 31 and brought it back to the 46 where the Panthers had 1st and 10. Tyler Wood picked up 9 yards on an end around to bring up 2nd and 1 from the Bobcat 45. At 6:17 on the clock, Robinson picked up 32 yards for 1st and 10 on the 23. On 1st and 10 Robinson hit Lukas Purcell with a 23-yard touchdown pass. The kick was no good, but Panhandle led 13-0.
Downs and Trent Viner made the stop after the kickoff. Sunray had 1st and 10 in their 5. Six plays later, Sunray scored on an 83-yard pass. A kick for 2 was good. With 3:09 left in the first quarter, Panhandle led 13-7.
Krogh fielded the ball on the 33 and returned it to the Panhandle 46 where Panhandle had 1st and 10. Robinson passed to Wood for the 54-yard touchdown. A try for 2 failed. With 2:56 until half time, Panhandle had a 19-7 lead.
Grayson George and Logan Leisher made the stop on the kickoff and Sunray had 1st and 10 on their 14. Sunray moved the ball to their own 35 and faced 2nd and 12. The pass was tipped and intercepted by Krogh at about the 45 and returned to Panhandle’s 20. After a 10-yard holding penalty was assessed, Panhandle had 1st and 10 on the Sunray 22, and the 1st quarter ended with Panhandle on the 22-yard line and the score Panhandle 19 – Sunray 7.
The second quarter began with Panhandle on the Sunray 22 facing 2nd and 10. On 3rd and 10, Robinson picked up 20 yards to the Sunray 1-yard line. On 1st and goal, Robinson scored, and Brookshire ran in the 2-point PAT. With 10:46 on the clock, Panhandle led 27-7.
After the kickoff, Sunray had 1st and 10 on their 31. On the first play, Robinson picked off a Sunray pass and Panhandle had 1st and goal on the Bobcat 5. Lukas Purcell picked up 3 yards, then Robinson took the ball in for the touchdown on the next play. Robinson passed to Wood for the 2-point PAT, and Panhandle led 35-7 with 10:04 left in the first half.
Panhandle kicked off and Sunray had 1st and 10 on their 3. A pass and a 15-yard penalty gave Sunray a 1st and 10 on the Panhandle 37. With Jack Sinclair, Robinson, Krogh and others making defensive stops, the Bobcats got to the Panhandle 22. On 4th and 6, a pass fell incomplete, and Panhandle took over on their 22. A pass interference call moved the ball to the Panhandle 27 and a 1st and 10. A 59-yard pass from Robinson to Andrews gave Panhandle a 1st and goal on the 5. Krogh got the call and scored on a 5-yard run. Brinkley’s kick was good, and Panhandle now led 42-7 with 6:40 until halftime.
Following the kick off, Sunray had 1st and 10 on their 35. On the first down play, Armes got an interception, and Panhandle had a 1st and 10 on their 36. After several penalties, a 23-yard run by Robinson and a 13-yard pass to Purcell, Panhandle had 2nd and 6 on the Sunray 46. Robinson passed to Armes who ran in for another Panther touchdown. Brinkley’s kick was good and Panhandle led 49-7 with 4:37 until halftime.
Robinson, Brinkley and Herzberg made the stops after the kickoff and Sunray had 1st and 10 on their 22. Three plays later, Andrews intercepted a Bobcat pass and Panhandle had a 1st and 10 on the Bobcat 47. Three plays later, Sunray recovered a Panther fumble on the Sunray 35. On 2nd and 10, Sinclair sacked a Bobcat for an 18-yard loss and caused a fumble, but Sunray recovered the ball and had 3rd and 28 on their 27. On 4th and 33, Sunray punted. Panhandle had 1st and 10 on their 44. A 36-yard pass to Wood gave Panhandle a 1st and 10 on the Sunray 20. On 2nd and 10 on the 20, Robinson passed to Wood for a Panther touchdown. Brinkley’s kick was good and Panhandle had a 56-7 halftime lead.
Panhandle received the second half kickoff and had a 1st and 10 on the Sunray 33. Landon Ruiz picked up 7 then Purcell took the ball in for a touchdown, with less than a minute gone from the clock. Brinkley’s kick was good and upped Panhandle’s lead to 63-7.
Panhandle kicked off, then Sunray had 1st and 10 from their 32. On 4th and 1, the Bobcat fumble was recovered by Andrews and Panhandle had 1st and 10 on their 45. Tagg Childers picked up 4 yards. Then Purcell broke loose for a 23-yard gain of a 1st and 10 on the Sunray 29. Five plays later, a field goal attempt was no good, and Sunray took over on their own 20. On 4th and 10, a “fair catch” on a punt gave Panhandle a 1st and 10 on their 38. Purcell passed to Brenden Blanchard for a 6-yard gain on 3rd and 4. Purcell rushed 44 yards to a 1st and 10 on the Bobcat 22. On 2nd and 21, Ruiz scored on a 21-yard run. Brinkley’s kick was good and Panhandle led 70-7.
Following the kick off Sunray had 1st and 10 from their 23. After picking up a 1st down on their 37, the Bobcats had two incomplete passes. On 3rd and 10, Jayce Herzberg picked off a Bobcat pass and took it in for a “pick 6”. Brinkley’s kick was good, and the final score was 77-7.

GAVAN BROOKSHIRE
Offensive Lineman of the the Week
Brookshire, with three pancakes and a grade of 100, was named Offensive Lineman of the Week. Jaret Moore scored 100 also, as did Jacob Herzberg, Jack Sinclair and Logan Leisher. Herzberg had one knockdown and three pancakes while Sinclair and Leisher had two pancakes each. Diego Montoya scored 95 and had three pancakes while George scored 92 and had one pancake and Jayce Herzberg scored 93 and had one pancake. Bo Freeze scored 83.
Tyler Wood was Offensive Skill Player of the Week. Wood caught four passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 2-point PAT pass and had two rushes for

TYLER WOOD
Offensive Skill Player of the Week
30 yards. Robinson completed 12 of 16 passes for 306 yards and five touchdowns and rushed six times for 59 yards and two touchdowns while Purcell completed one of two passes for 6 yards and had eight carries for 113 yards and a touchdown. Landen Krogh had three rushes for 17 yards and a touchdown while Caden Armes had one run for 25 yards and caught three passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns. Landen Andrews had two receptions for 68 yards while Landen Ruiz rushed two times for 30 yards and a touchdown. Cooper Treadwell carried one time for 12 yards, Childers had one carry for 4 yards and Trent Viner one carry for 1 yard. Brenden Blanchard had one reception for 6 yards. Cooper Brinkley kicked seven PATs and Brookshire ran in a 2-point PAT.

JAYCE HERZBERG
Defensive Lineman of the Week
Defensive Lineman of the Week was Jayce Herzberg who intercepted a Bobcat pass around the Sunray 37 and returned it for the final Panther touchdown of the game.

BROXTON ROBINSON
Defensive Skill Player of the Week
With seven solo tackles, one assist, two special teams tackles and an interception, Broxton Robinson was named Defensive Skill Player of the Week. Brookshire had three solos and one sack while Freeze had one solo, one assist and two Skill Team (ST) tackles and Krogh had two solos, one assist, one ST tackle and an interception. Sinclair had one solo, one assist, two tackles for loss (TFL), fielded a fumble, while Weinheimer had two solos, one assist, one ST tackle and a fumble recovery. Brinkley had three solos, Jaxxon Downs had one solo, one assist and one ST tackle, Jacob Herzberg one solo, one assist and one TFL, Dallas Pennington one solo, two assists, Purcell two solos, one ST tackle; Hudson Baird had two ST tackles; Landon Andrews one solo, one interception and forced a fumble and Armes had an interception.

BRAELYN LAMBERT
Junior Varsity Player of the Week
Braelyn Lambert was also named the Junior Varsity Panther Player of the Week.
Scores by Quarters:
1st qtr: Panhandle 19, Sunray 7
2nd qtr: Panhandle 56, Sunray 7
3rd qtr: Panhandle 63, Sunray 7
4th qtr: Panhandle 77, Sunray 7
First Downs: Panhandle 21, Sunray 10
Yards Rushing: Panhandle 291, Sunray 31
Yards Passing: Panhandle 312, Sunray 183
Total Yards: Panhandle 603, Sunray 214
Passing C-A-I: Panhandle 13-18-0,
Sunray 11-32-6
Fumbles: Panhandle 1-1, Sunray 2-1
Punts: Panhandle 0, Sunray 4-31.5
Penalties: Panhandle 7-60, Sunray 4-20
