Panthers drop hard-fought game with Dalhart Wolves

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Username

Password

Login

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.

Email

Submit

← Back

— By Ann Metcalf —

In a hard-fought game that went down to the wire, the Panthers lost 35 – 42 to the hometown Dalhart Wolves. The first and third quarters belonged to Dalhart while the second and fourth went more to the Panthers. The Panthers showed a lot of determination and grit to be down 21 – 0 with 2:13 left in the opening quarter and come back to tie the game at 35 – 35 with 7:46 left in the game.

“It was a very tough loss on Friday night, and no one is more upset about it than our players and coaches. But I was very proud of the way the boys never lost hope, kept believing, kept playing hard, and never gave up. As in football as in life, there will be some tough times that you don’t understand, but you never lose faith and never quit fighting. Friday was a glimpse of the types of men these will become,” said Coach Dane Ashley.

Panhandle received the kickoff to start the game and had a 1st and 10 on their own 49. On 4th and 4, Dalhart was offsides and Panhandle had 1st and 10 in the Dalhart 40. On 4th and 9 from the Dalhart 39, a pass from Broxton Robinson to Lukas Purcell was completed, but not long enough for a first down, so Dalhart took over on their own 38. Robinson and Landen Andrews stopped the runner after a 5-yard gain. An incomplete pass brought up 3rd and 9. A 7-yard completion gave the Wolves a 1st and 10 on the Panhandle 49. The Wolves picked up 6 before being stopped by Jack Sinclair and Jacob Herzberg. On 3rd and 4, a Dalhart Wolf broke through the middle and rushed 43 yards for a touchdown with 8:03 on the clock. The kick was good, and Dalhart led 7 – 0.

The Panthers were unable to pick up a 1st down on their second possession. On 4th and 2 from the Dalhart 49, the Panthers punt was blocked, and Dalhart had a 1st and 10 on the Panhandle 39. Two plays later, the Wolves scored on a 29-yard pass play and kicked the extra point to lead 14 – 0 with 6:11 left in the first quarter.

Purcell fielded the kickoff on the 15 and returned the ball to the Dalhart 48 where Panhandle had 1st and 10. On 4th and 14, the Panthers punted, and Dalhart had 1st and 10 on their 12-yard line. The runner picked up 12 yards before being brought down by Landen Krogh. On 1st and 10 from the 24, Gavin Brookshire made the stop after an 8-yard gain, but two plays later, the Wolves scored on a 64 yard pass play. The PAT kick was good, and Dalhart led 21 – 0 with 2:13 left on the first quarter clock.

Following the kick-off Panhandle had 1st and 10 on their 37. Andrews picked up 13 yards for 1st and 10 on the 50. A holding penalty on their next play put Panhandle on their 45 facing 2nd and 15. On 4th and 18, the Panthers punted. The Panthers held Dalhart, the Wolves got off a long punt on the last play of the quarter. Dalhart had a 21 – 0 lead.

Panhandle started the second quarter with a 1st and 10 on their 11. A 14 yard pass from Robinson to Tyler Wood gave Panhandle a 1st and 10 on the 25, then a 25-yard pass from Robinson to Caden Armes moved the ball to the 50. On 1st and 10 Purcell gained 3, then another pass for 4 yards to Armes moved the ball to Dalhart’s 45. No gain, then a 4-yard pass to Purcell gave Panhandle a 1st and 10 on the 39. Robinson gained 2 then passed to Armes for 5 to he 32. Robinson kept the ball and scored on a 32-yard run to put the Panthers on the scoreboard. Cooper Brinkley’s kick was good. With 9:22 until halftime the score was Panhandle 7, – Dalhart 21.

The kickoff was fielded on the 9 yard line and Dallas Pennington dropped the receiver on the 12-yard line. Dalhart had 1st and 10 on their own 12. Samuel Weinheimer got two stops on this series on 4th and 15 from their own 33, Dalhart punted. Panhandle had 1st and 10 on their 42. Krogh had a 16-yard run to give the Panthers a 1st and 10 on the Dalhart 42. Robinson had a 7-yard run followed by a 19-yard run to give Panhandle a 1st and 10 on the Dalhart 16. Krogh took the ball to the 5 for 1st and goal. Robinson gained 1, then Krogh took the ball in for a touchdown. Brinkley kicked the PAT to make the score Panhandle 14 – Dalhart 21 with 4:14 on the clock.

The kickoff was downed in the endzone, so Dalhart had 1st and 10 on their 25. Logan Leisher made the stop after a 2-yard gain, then a pass fell incomplete to bring up 3rd and 8 on the 27. Pennington made the stop after a 16-yard gain. Then Brookshire dropped the lineman for a 1-yard loss. On 2nd and 11 from their 30, a pass was completed but Krogh tackled the receiver for a 2-yard loss to bring up 3rd and 13. A pass was good for 11 yards to bring up 4th and 2 on the Panhandle 49. Dalhart made the 1st down on the Panhandle 45, but on 4th and 4 Brinkley intercepted a Wolf pass and Panhandle had 1st and 10 on the Panhandle 42. Three plays later, the first half ended with the score Panhandle 14 – Dalhart 21.

Panhandle kicked off to start the second half of play. The kick was downed in the end zone, so Dalhart had 1st and 10 on their 25. Brinkley made the stop after a 2-yard gain then a completed pass moved the ball to the 45-yard line. Five plays later, the Wolves scored on a 37-yard pass play. Brinkley blocked the PAT attempt, but with 8:20 left in the third quarter, Dalhart led 28 – 14. Following the kickoff, Panhandle had a 1st and 10 on their 33-yard line. A 37-yard pass from Robinson to Andrews gave Panhandle a 1st and 10 on the Dalhart 13. Robinson picked up 10 for a 1st and goal on the 3, but Dalhart kept the Panthers out of the end zone and then took over on their 1-yard line. Eleven plays later, Dalhart scored on a 5-yard run then passed for 2 to make the score Dalhart 35 – Panhandle 14 with 30 ticks left on the third quarter clock.

Panthers took over on their own 32. Robinson passed to Purcell for a 16-yard gain, and a 1st and 10 on the 48. No gain on the last two plays of the quarter.

The Panthers started the fourth quarter behind 14 – 35, but they came back strong. They were on the Panhandle 48, facing 3rd and 10. Robinson passed to Purcell for a 27-yard gain and a 1st and 10 on the Dalhart 25. On 4th and 10, Robinson pass to Wood giving Panhandle a 1st and 10 on the 15. Krogh picked up 4 to 11. A pass fell incomplete then on 3rd and 6 from the 11, Krogh went in for the touchdown, and Brinkley kicked the PAT. With 9:36 left in the game, the score was Panhandle 21 – Dalhart 35. The onside kick was recovered by Krogh, and Panhandle had 1st and 10 on the Dalhart 48. Five plays later, Andrews scored on a 29-yard run, Brinkley’s kick was good and the score was Panhandle 28 – Dalhart 35 with 8:13 on the clock.

The kickoff was fumbled and Pennington recovered the ball on the Dalhart 9 for a 1st and goal. Robinson picked up 7 yards, then on 2nd and goal from the 2, Robinson went in for the Panthers third touchdown in a little over two minutes. Brinkley’s kick was good, and the score was tied 35 – 35 with 7:46 on the clock. Following the kickoff, Dalhart had a 1st and 10 from the 21. They moved the ball to the Panhandle 49 and on 4th and 16 punted. Panhandle had 1st and 10 on their 11 and moved the ball to Dalhart’s 39. On 1st and 10, Dalhart got an interception and three plays later scored on a 14-yard run with 45 seconds left in the game. The PAT kick was good and Dalhart won 41 – 35.

Armes was named Offensive Skill Player of the week. He had seven receptions for 82 yards. Robinson completed 18 of 28 passes for 237 yards Brookshire was Offensive Lineman of the Week with one pancake and a grade of 97. Sinclair had one pancake and a grade of 98 while Jaret Moore had three pancakes and a grade of 94. Jacob Herzberg had a knock down and two pancakes and a grade of 92 while Leisher had one knockdown and one pancake and a grade of 88, and Deigo Montoya had a grade of 73.

Robinson was Defensive Skill Player of the Week with five solos and five assists and Sinclair was Defensive Lineman of the Week with three solos, four assists and one tackle for a loss. Herzberg had two solos, six assists and a tackle for loss (TFL), Pennington had four solos, two assists and skill team tackle (ST). Brookshire had 4 solos, 2 assists; Weinheimer two solos and four assists, Krogh four solos and an assist, Purcell two solos and one assist, Andrews one solo and one assist, Jayce Herzberg two assists, Leisher one solo, Landen Ruiz one ST tackle and Brinkley five solos, five assists and an interception.

Scores by Quarters:
1st qtr: Panhandle 0, Dalhart 21
2nd qtr: Panhandle 14, Dalhart 21
3rd qtr: Panhandle 14, Dalhart 35
4th qtr: Panhandle 35, Dalhart 42

First Downs: Panhandle 26, Dalhart 22
Yards Rushing: Panhandle 231, Dalhart 325
Yards Passing: Panhandle 327, Dalhart 213
Total Yards: Panhandle 468, Dalhart 538
Passing C-A-I: Panhandle 18-29-2, Dalhart 11-21-1
Fumbles: Panhandle 1-0; Dalhart 2-2
Punts/Avg.: Panhandle 4-24.2; 3-49.3
Penalties: Panhandle 7-50; Dalhart 8-80