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Gators chomp Panthers
Ware takes Liberty, 21-7
ChelseaMells
LCHS crowned senior Chelsea Mells as 2010 homecoming queen. - photo by Phgoto by Patty Leon

The Ware County Gators improved to 2-1 in Region 2A-AAAA by defeating the Liberty County Panthers 21-7 at Donell Woods Stadium Friday night during the Panthers’ homecoming.

The Panthers fell to 1-2 in the region.

Both offenses worked hard during the first quarter but the defenses kept both squads out of the end zone.

At the start of the second quarter the Gators had the ball inside the Panthers’ 20 and their running back found a seam and brought the ball down to the 2 yard line. The Gators scored on the next play to take the 7-0 lead with the point-after.

The Panthers quickly answered with a 62-yard touchdown run by Shadrach Thornton and the game remained tied into the half.

The Panthers had an opportunity to take the lead just shy of intermission, making it down to the 6 yard line. A tackle for a loss by the Gators set up a field goal attempt by Panther Adrien Vakerics but it fell just short of the cross bars.

The Gators would seal the game in the third quarter when Ware County got good field position after a short Panther punt. The Gators started on their own 49 yard line and two plays later they broke a run open and made it to the Panther 14.

A bootleg play and a short run gave them the go ahead touchdown.

On the ensuing kickoff Thornton brought the ball to the 40 yard line. But Panther quarterback Jarrett Rivers and Thornton had a miscue on the hand off that caused a fumble on the next play. Although the home team recovered the ball they faced third and long.

On the next play Rivers stepped back and launched the pig skin, but his receiver had cut the route short and the ball was intercepted.

Ware brought the ball back to the Panther 40. Two plays later the Gators were at the Panther 19. And the Panthers were called for a 5-yard face mask penalty.

The Gators scored their final touchdown to win 21-7.

The Panthers are 2-5 overall with Wayne County and Glynn Academy still on the schedule. The outcome of those two games will determine their sub-region opponent for Nov. 5.

Ware County is currently in third place, according to ga.prepcountry.com.

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