For the first time in Kirk Warner’s tenure as Liberty County High School’s head football coach, the Panthers have started a season 3-0. Friday night the Panthers added a notch in the win column, beating the Effingham Rebels 35-6.
Warner said his "defense set the tone for the game," which is odd since the offense moved the football up and down the field with ease against a struggling Rebel defense.
Warner said, "We were apprehensive about Effingham coming into Friday night’s game, due to the fact that the Panthers lost to the Rebels last year."
The Panthers’ defense was impressive all night, swarming to the ball like sharks to blood. The defenders held the Rebels to one touchdown and that was late in the fourth quarter.
Defensive leaders were Marcus Jefferson, Solomon Ball, Thomas Penny and Byron Johnson.
The Panther offense was equally impressive. After the game, Rebels head coach Jack Webb said, "The LCHS backfield is really good. They ran the ball all over us." Key players in the LCHS backfield are quarterback Julian Stokes and running back Shadrach Thornton. Both lit up the scoreboard and the offensive stat book against the Rebels.
At times, Stokes ran the Panthers spread option offense so efficiently he reminded fans of outstanding college quarterbacks Pat White and Tim Tebow. Stokes not only showed his prowess as a runner (racking up close to 100 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns), but he was also able to showcase his pass, completing key passes to Sinjin Mullins and Kris Krawford.Matt Desbiens also got time behind center after Stokes got hit on the elbow late in the second quarter. Although Desbiens didn’t run the Panther
offense as smoothly as Stokes, Warner said, "It was good for Matt to get some time. We need to make sure he is always ready to play."
The other part of the Panther offensive tandem, Thornton, had two rushing touchdowns as well. Warner is high on the future of his sophomore running back.
"We knew we had something special with Shad last year, and he is only going to get better," Warner said.
Thornton said, "I’d like to thank my lineman for blocking, my quarterback for playing a great game and the defense for playing so hard. Without them I couldn’t have done what I did."
The other Panther touchdown came with less than a minute left in the game; Panther senior kicker Eddie Chipple threw for a touchdown pass on a perfectly executed fake punt.
The Panthers play Glynn Academy next Friday and then host their first region game the following week. Warner believes "momentum is on our side going into the region. I’m excited about our season."
Hinesville is no longer a one horse town when it comes to high school football, and fans should heed the Thornton’s words:
"Don’t go to sleep on the Panthers. We are for real."