FOOTBALL: Carterville hammers Panthers to claim conference title

Pinckneyville's faint playoff hopes were completely erased on Friday as the Panthers suffered their fifth loss in a row, a 58-28 thumping by the unbeaten Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference Mississippi Division champion Carterville Lions. The loss means PCHS will finish conference play without a victory.

Brayden Bisaillon ran all over the field for 162 yards on 23 carries and Lions quarterback Blake Hicks added 146 yards on a dozen runs while throwing for 97 yards on 9-for-11 passing.

"Carterville is a load offensively," said PCHS coach Todd Thomas. "They take the wind out of your sails very quickly. They're a great football team and they won the conference for a reason."

The Panthers made a game of it for most of the first half, though. Quarterback Clayton Houghland connected with Tristan Fisher for a 31-yard touchdown pass with 8:26 to go in the first period and Dylan Carns' extra point made it 7-0.

After the Lions answered with a Bisaillon touchdown run, they took the lead early in the second quarter when Dylan Samuel hauled in a pass from Hicks to put Carterville up 14-7 with 10:53 left in the half.

The Panthers refused to go quietly, however, as Adam Banach broke free for a 39-yard run for six just two minutes later, tying the score.

But the Lions bulldozed their way to scoring drives of 60 and 64 yards before the half before and after a three-and-out series by PCHS.

Already up a pair of TDs, the Lions put the game away in a hurry after the break.

Hicks ran for a 72-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. Just when Pinckneyville looked to have taken some momentum back with a fantastic kick-off return by Caulden Lazenby to the Carterville 20-yard line, Houghland fumbled the ball while looking for a receiver and Samuel picked it up and ran it all the way to the house for a 44-14 lead just 50 seconds into the second half.

Banach and Alex Howard added touchdown runs for PCHS later in the game.

Trent Hicks led Pinckneyville's ground game with 79 yards on 15 carries. Banach (8-53), Dalton Peradotto (4-40), Gabe Yearian (2-38), Howard (9-18) and Lazenby (3-12) also carried the ball for the Panthers. Houghland was just 1-for-7 passing.

The Panthers (3-5, 0-5) will try to end their season on a high note at Dupo in week nine.