FOOTBALL: Defense, Lazenby's TD catch carry Panthers past Redbirds
Pinckneyville's Caulden Lazenby hauled in a dump-off pass from quarterback Clayton Houghland and took off for a 57-yard touchdown on the Panthers second drive of the game and kicker Dylan Carns tacked on a 41-yard field goal as PCHS shut out West Frankfort 10-0 for their second straight win to start the 2015 season.
Pinckneyville's defense often bent, but never broke, preserving the shutout with three sacks and four tackles for negative yardage over the course of the game, winning despite ten penalties for 75 yards, many of which crippled PCHS offensive drives.
"If you can grind through things and you've got some grit, and you've got some toughness, and you get things done when you need to get them done, that's the bottom line," said Pinckneyville head football coach Todd Thomas.
"We showed a lot of toughness, a lot of mental toughness. We're trying to develop that in the program. We made the plays when we had to make them. It was not pretty. (West Frankfort is) a big, physical football team and they're well-coached. Yes, the penalties upset me, the mistakes and fumbles. We made a lot of mistakes we're going to have to correct, but all in all, I'm just ecstatic with our kids' effort."
Alex Howard picked up a fumble for the Panthers early in the first quarter that gave the Panthers possession on their own 43-yard line. A penalty and a short pass to Sam Simpson set up third-and-ten, and that's when Lazenby took the throw from Houghland and turned on the afterburners for his decisive touchdown reception.
"Clayton Houghland did a nice job on that play," Thomas said. "The linebacker came off the edge and the guard couldn't pick him up, and he was right in Clayton's face. Clayton dumped it to him, and Laz can scoot. We got some blocks there, too. It was a big play. We have the ability to make some big plays. That's what we have to do, we cant run over people, we've got to get going east-to-west and then take advantage of that."
West Frankfort made two trips into the red zone during the first half, but came up empty both times. The second occasion came just before the half when a holding penalty gave the Redbirds an extra play on third down and six from the PCHS nine yard line with no time on the clock, but quarterback Hunter Pulley was off-target on a pass into the end zone, and Pinckneyville took their 7-0 lead into the locker rooms.
After West Frankfort punted it away on their first possession after the break, the Panthers took over on their own 29-yard line and drove it down to the Redbirds' 24-yard line for a fourth-and-fourteen field goal try by Carns, who put it between the uprights for three points with 4:21 to go in the third quarter. It was Carns' second field goal make in as many tries this season, both coming from beyond 40 yards.
"I think Dylan gets better with pressure," Thomas said. "The thing about Dylan is that he's playing both sides of the ball, too. If you're standing over there warming up with the kicking net all night long, it's a lot easier. He's getting it done as a two-way player and I can't be more happy. He's just a huge asset."
Lazenby had a 27-yard run on the drive to help keep the chains moving downfield. He finished with 99 yards on 15 carries to lead Pinckneyville in rushing.
The Redbirds failed to reach the red zone the entire second half.
Howard (11 carries, 43 yards), Houghland (6-8) and Dalton Peradotto (8-9) also contributed to Pinckneyville's 159 net yards on the ground. Houghland completed 6-of-14 passes for 73 yards, connecting with Lazenby (2-55), Simpson (2-10) and Brian Kling (2-8). Howard, Nick Cannon and Grant Murphy had sacks for the PCHS defense.