Although they were unable to add a third shutout to their list of accomplishments so far this season, the Liberty County Panthers secured a solid victory against the Glenn Hill Spartans on Friday night.
The only points on the board for the Spartans came late in the third quarter - from a kick return, not the Spartan offense.
The 28-8 victory gives the Panthers an overall 4-1 record and 2-1 in sub region play as they prepare for Burke County next Friday in their first region game.
Play-by-play
Both teams struggled offensively in the first quarter, unable to move the ball effectively or put points on the board.
Right before the end of the first quarter, Edward Chipple punted the ball and pinned the Spartans inside their own two-yard line. They were then penalized with a false start, placing them half the distance to the goal.
Facing a third-and-eight scenario, the Spartans passed but it was overthrown and incomplete.
During the punt return, Brandon Roberts returned the ball for a seven-yard gain and the Panthers took over inside the Spartans 30-yard line.
Roderick Jones carried the ball to the 26 and then the 23 before finally making a first down with 9:49 left in the second quarter.
Byron Calahan got his hands on the ball and took it to the nine-yard line; and quarterback Julian Stokes tried to cut through the center of the pile during a carry but fumbled the ball at the one-yard line. Fortunately, the Panthers recovered.
Calahan then crossed the goal line and scored with 7:46 in the second quarter. The point-after by Chipple was good for a 7-0 game.
Glenn Hills started a good offensive drive but several penalties pushed them back.
During a critical third-yard situation, the Spartans’ quarterback was pressured by Reggie Bodie causing him to throw the ball early and Roberts nearly scored a pick.
Glenn Hills was forced to punt and Jones returned the ball to the Spartans’ 20- yard line. Roberts then carried the ball to the 13-yard line.
A handoff to Calahan brought the ball to the 10-yard line. Jones then carried the ball to the nine for a first and goal.
Calahan carried the ball to the five-yard line with 3:52 left before the half and then broke through for another Panther touchdown and a 14-0 lead on his next carry.
After a three and out by Glenn Hills, Stokes connected on a pass to Jones at the 15-yard line and, with an open field in front of him, he took it in for another core, making it 21-0 with 2:11 before the half.
Glenn Hills was determined to get some points up before the end of the half and with 47 seconds left, the Spartans’ quarterback tucked the ball away and ran to the Panthers’ 43-yard line and a new set of downs.
The Spartans then took the ball to the 25-yard line on a completed pass with 36 seconds left before the half and once again a new set of downs.
The Spartans’ quarterback then overthrew a receiver in the end zone. On the next play, Dimitri Lane forced the quarterback out of the pocket and DeAngelo Quarterman was there to knock him out of bounds leaving only 23 seconds on the clock. A pass was then caught but dropped for an incompletion in the end zone by a Spartan receiver. Going for it on the fourth down, the Spartans were penalized for an illegal shift and the ball was turned over to the Panthers who took a knee to end the half.
The Panthers opened the third quarter with a kick return by Jones who took the ball from the 10 to the 35-yard line. Calahan then carried the ball to the 45-yard line. Stokes kept the ball on the next carry for a few yards across the 50. Stokes eventually took the ball to the 33-yard line before being hit out of bounds.
Jones took a direct snap from the center and took the ball to the 25-yard line and a first down for the Panthers with 9:12 left in the third quarter. Stokes connected with Paul Davis who was immediately brought down at the 20-yard line. Roberts then carried the ball for two yards followed by a carry by Calahan who took the ball to the 14-yard line and another first down. Roberts then carried it in through a pile of Spartans for the touchdown and a 28-0 lead with 5:48 left in the third.
It was on the ensuing kick return that a Spartans’ receiver ran for about 60 yards and a Spartan touchdown, avoiding a shutout. Adding insult to injury, they scored a two-point conversion for a 28-8 ball game.
This sparked the Spartans’ and they continued to challenge the Panthers’ offense until late in the fourth quarter.
With another possible touchdown within their reach, the quarterback threw to his receiver in the end zone but Quarterman jumped in front of the receiver and made the interception in the end zone for a Panther touchback.
The Panthers held on and did not allow the Hills another opportunity to score.
The only points on the board for the Spartans came late in the third quarter - from a kick return, not the Spartan offense.
The 28-8 victory gives the Panthers an overall 4-1 record and 2-1 in sub region play as they prepare for Burke County next Friday in their first region game.
Play-by-play
Both teams struggled offensively in the first quarter, unable to move the ball effectively or put points on the board.
Right before the end of the first quarter, Edward Chipple punted the ball and pinned the Spartans inside their own two-yard line. They were then penalized with a false start, placing them half the distance to the goal.
Facing a third-and-eight scenario, the Spartans passed but it was overthrown and incomplete.
During the punt return, Brandon Roberts returned the ball for a seven-yard gain and the Panthers took over inside the Spartans 30-yard line.
Roderick Jones carried the ball to the 26 and then the 23 before finally making a first down with 9:49 left in the second quarter.
Byron Calahan got his hands on the ball and took it to the nine-yard line; and quarterback Julian Stokes tried to cut through the center of the pile during a carry but fumbled the ball at the one-yard line. Fortunately, the Panthers recovered.
Calahan then crossed the goal line and scored with 7:46 in the second quarter. The point-after by Chipple was good for a 7-0 game.
Glenn Hills started a good offensive drive but several penalties pushed them back.
During a critical third-yard situation, the Spartans’ quarterback was pressured by Reggie Bodie causing him to throw the ball early and Roberts nearly scored a pick.
Glenn Hills was forced to punt and Jones returned the ball to the Spartans’ 20- yard line. Roberts then carried the ball to the 13-yard line.
A handoff to Calahan brought the ball to the 10-yard line. Jones then carried the ball to the nine for a first and goal.
Calahan carried the ball to the five-yard line with 3:52 left before the half and then broke through for another Panther touchdown and a 14-0 lead on his next carry.
After a three and out by Glenn Hills, Stokes connected on a pass to Jones at the 15-yard line and, with an open field in front of him, he took it in for another core, making it 21-0 with 2:11 before the half.
Glenn Hills was determined to get some points up before the end of the half and with 47 seconds left, the Spartans’ quarterback tucked the ball away and ran to the Panthers’ 43-yard line and a new set of downs.
The Spartans then took the ball to the 25-yard line on a completed pass with 36 seconds left before the half and once again a new set of downs.
The Spartans’ quarterback then overthrew a receiver in the end zone. On the next play, Dimitri Lane forced the quarterback out of the pocket and DeAngelo Quarterman was there to knock him out of bounds leaving only 23 seconds on the clock. A pass was then caught but dropped for an incompletion in the end zone by a Spartan receiver. Going for it on the fourth down, the Spartans were penalized for an illegal shift and the ball was turned over to the Panthers who took a knee to end the half.
The Panthers opened the third quarter with a kick return by Jones who took the ball from the 10 to the 35-yard line. Calahan then carried the ball to the 45-yard line. Stokes kept the ball on the next carry for a few yards across the 50. Stokes eventually took the ball to the 33-yard line before being hit out of bounds.
Jones took a direct snap from the center and took the ball to the 25-yard line and a first down for the Panthers with 9:12 left in the third quarter. Stokes connected with Paul Davis who was immediately brought down at the 20-yard line. Roberts then carried the ball for two yards followed by a carry by Calahan who took the ball to the 14-yard line and another first down. Roberts then carried it in through a pile of Spartans for the touchdown and a 28-0 lead with 5:48 left in the third.
It was on the ensuing kick return that a Spartans’ receiver ran for about 60 yards and a Spartan touchdown, avoiding a shutout. Adding insult to injury, they scored a two-point conversion for a 28-8 ball game.
This sparked the Spartans’ and they continued to challenge the Panthers’ offense until late in the fourth quarter.
With another possible touchdown within their reach, the quarterback threw to his receiver in the end zone but Quarterman jumped in front of the receiver and made the interception in the end zone for a Panther touchback.
The Panthers held on and did not allow the Hills another opportunity to score.