FOOTBALL: Panthers' comeback spoiled by late Lions FG
Less than nine minutes into Friday night's game at Quillman Field in Pinckneyville, the Panthers looked like they were about to be blown out by red-hot Carterville down 14-0.
PCHS rallied back, tying the game late in the fourth quarter, but the Lions would survive, driving 74 yards in less than a minute to set up a game-winning field goal kick by Jeff Giffey to give Carterville a 24-21 victory and a share of the SIRR Mississippi Division championship with Du Quoin.
A penalty flag on the Panthers for a late hit near midfield after Carterville quarterback Blake Hicks slid to the turf helped the Lions out on the drive, turning a second and long into a first and ten at the Pinckneyville 34 yard line. Three keeper runs by Hicks later, the Lions lined up for the 20-yard field goal to escape with a win.
"The penalty there kind of put (Carterville) into field goal range," said PCHS head coach Todd Thomas. "Our kids battled. We had many chances to just roll over. (Carterville is) red hot, they're playing really, really well. They've got weapons, they've gotten better every week, they've gotten their kids healthy. Defensively we gave up a lot of yards, but when we need to make plays and make stops we did. Offensively we struggled to move the ball, but we did make some plays. I'm happy with our kids' effort. They showed a lot of character and a lot of heart staying in the game and making it that close."
Drew Moore took the game's opening kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown to punch the Panthers square in the mouth. Carterville led 7-0 after just 13 seconds of action.
Pinckneyville turned the ball over on downs at the Lions' 35-yard line on their first possession, and then Carterville threatened to pull away with a 10-play, 65-yard drive capped off by Hicks' 13-yard pass touchdown pass to Austin Swalls.
After going three-and-out on their next four possessions, the Panthers' defense made a play that seemed to spark the offense. Caulden Lazenby picked off Hicks to give the Panthers the ball on the Lions' 48 yard line with just under three minutes to go in the half.
"They've thrown it a lot this year," Thomas said of the Lions. "The last couple games they've thrown the ball a lot. (Hicks) can throw and they've got two really good receivers. They're trying to open it up, they're trying to get better and get ready for the playoffs. We had a key interception when we needed it, it kept us in the ball game."
Two big runs by Alex Howard landed that drive in the end zone with 37 seconds remaining, and PCHS trailed 14-7 following Dylan Carns' extra point.
Rather than take a touchdown lead into the break, the Lions drove 80 yards on four plays, with a deep ball from Hicks to Austin Swalls setting up Hicks' one-yard plunge into the end zone as time expired in the opening half.
The Panthers drew closer in the third quarter with a 44-yard screen pass from Clayton Houghland to Howard for a touchdown that came at the 3:00 mark of the period.
After forcing a punt with around 4 minutes to play in the game, Pinckneyville took over on their own 6 yard line. The first three plays yielded no yardage, and the Panthers were faced with a decision on fourth-and-ten with 3:02 to play.
Thomas and company elected to go for it, and Houghland found Brian Kling who raced down the sideline all the way to Carterville's 8 yard line for an 86-yard completion. Houghland hit Lazenby in the end zone moments later for a 6-yard touchdown pass, and Carns' kick tied the game at 21-21 with 1:10 left in regulation.
"We knew if we punted it they were going to get a short field anyway," Thomas said. "We only had one timeout, so what do you have to lose? We actually didn't run the play right, we were supposed to motion to trips and hit number three on a 12-yard out, we didn't put the guy in motion and luckily we just made a play. A lot of times that's what puts you back in a ball game."
But PCHS's defense couldn't get one more stop. The Lions needed just 7 plays and a 15-yard penalty to set up Giffey's kick for the win.
"We're young, and we're only 1-4 in the conference, but we're right there," said Thomas. "Our kids are learning, we're getting experience. The opening kickoff, the play before half - we has a chance to fold and we didn't, and that's what we're trying to develop here."
The loss all but eliminates the Panthers (4-4, 1-4) from postseason contention. Even if they were to beat Dupo (0-8) in week nine and get to 5-4, it's unlikely they'd have enough power points to earn a spot in the playoffs.
Howard finished with 72 yards rushing on 15 carries. Dalton Perradotto (7 carries, 21 yards), Lazenby (8-8) and Houghland (4-3) also carried the football for the Panthers. Houghland was 6-for-17 on throws for 168 yards, connecting with Kling (3-112), Carns (1-6), Howard (1-44) and Lazenby (1-6).
Moore ran 24 times for 184 yards for the Lions (5-3, 4-1). Hicks had 27 rushes for 99 yards.