SPORTS
Panthers win bi-district 74-38
The Saint Jo Panthers won their bi-district playoff game on Thursday night against Leverett’s Chapel.
The Panthers won 74-38 in a game with little drama outside of an injury scare after Saint Jo took a two touchdown lead into the second quarter.
With the Panthers last regular season game against Perrin-Whitt being forfeited due to COVID-19 from the Pirates, Saint Jo came into the game fresh.
The Panthers opening drive of the game saw them gain consistent but small amounts of yards on running plays. They had to convert a fourth down before running back Logan Brawner finally got loose for a 16-yard touchdown run put Saint Jo up 8-0.
The Lions offense featured a lot of short quick passes that forced the Panthers to tackle well in space. Chapel’s players were also willing to freelance with improvised laterals and passes during plays that were clearly not designed with these things in mind.
The Panthers defense forced a turnover on downs near midfield to get the ball back. Two plays later, it was Brawner scoring on a 35-yard run to put Saint Jo up 14-0.
The Lions came back and scored on their next drive. Short passes to their athletic players in space sprung some big plays, ending with a 17-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 14-8.
A deep kickoff pinned the Panthers back on their own nine-yard line, but Brawner quickly made that obsolete. He found the corner and ran for a 71-yard touchdown to end the quarter, Saint Jo up 20-8.
Chapel was not going to roll over though. The Lions offense scored on their second play in the next drive on a 34-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 20-14.
On the kickoff, Brawner got the ball and was trying to hurdle a player. He got upended and flipped violently.
It looked like the Panthers were going to get tested with their best offensive weapon sidelined for the moment as Jonathon Diaz picked up some yards and Cade Stevens finding Jase Johnson on a short pass.
Brawner came back in and scored on a four-yard touchdown run to go up 28-14 as he dove for the corner. He must have felt bad after the dive because he did not play for the rest of the quarter.
The Saint Jo defense picked up its intensity after pushing the Lions back for losses on consecutive plays, forcing a turnover on downs near midfield.
With Diaz running on three consecutive plays, the Panthers faced a fourth and six. Stevens rolled out to his left and found Tyler Cook open for a 27-yard touchdown pass. Stevens completed the pass despite playing most of the game with one of his fingers pointing the wrong way.
Up 36-14, the Panthers especially did not want to let the Lions score before halftime since they would also get the ball to start the second half.
Chapel drove down into Saint Jo territory, getting help with a roughing the passer penalty on third down. The Panthers defense held and forced another turnover on downs to keep the lead heading into halftime.
The Lions offense found some success to start the third quarter completing an 11-yard pass and a 16-yard run to get within scoring range. A bad snap allowed the Panther’s Chance Bennett to dive on the ball to force a turnover at Saint Jo’s own 23-yard line.
Brawner came out with his pads on and looked to give it a go. His first run was for a loss and the coaching staff initially thought he was not himself and put Diaz in. A big run came back because of holding and put the Panthers into a big hole.
Brawner came back in and ripped a 13-yard run to make the fourth down manageable, but Chapel’s defense held to force a turnover on downs at Saint Jo’s 20-yard line. The Lions took advantage scoring on a nine-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 36-20.
In case there was any doubt whether Brawner would contribute for the rest of the night, they were answered on the kickoff. He recovered the short kickoff and took it 56 yards for a touchdown to put Saint Jo back up 42-20.
Chapel would not go away though. The laterals and the freelancing picked up as the game went on. It became harder to make those tackles in space as fatigue came in to play even as substitutions were made.
The Lions drove down the field, converting another fourth down before scoring on another short touchdown pass from eight yards away. Scored in the final minute of the third quarter, Saint Jo’s lead was still solid at 42-26 as long as the offense kept scoring.
The offense obliged as Brawner scored on a 40-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter make the score 50-26.
Chapel continued to show heart though. A Saint Jo player slipping while trying to come up and make a tackle after short completion led to a 37-yard touchdown pass as the Panther defense seemed to struggle more as the game wore on.
The Panthers offense made sure the Lions were never getting close.
After one big run and a missed opportunity in the passing game, another perfectly blocked sweep play allowed Brawner to bust through for another touchdown run, this one from 19-yards out. The kick from Kyler Dunn made it 58-32.
Saint Jo could not catch a break on its next defensive series. A pass interference call and a facemask call helped move the ball down the field.
From there, Chapel was able to score on a 15-yard run as the Panthers could not push the running back out of bounds. The touchdown made the score 58-38 with half the quarter still to play.
Just like the last drive, a couple of runs from Brawner and Bennett eventually led to Brawner scoring from 18-yards out to keep Saint Jo’s spirits high.
Just in case there was any doubt left which team would win, Brawner jumped a pass on defense and took the ball back 55-yards for a defensive touchdown to put the final score on the board.
Saint Jo’s defense forced one final turnover on downs to end the game with a kneel down to end the game, the Panthers winning 74-38.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
Nocona
The Nocona Lady Indians lost a tough game at Muenster on Tuesday night.
The Lady Hornets won 13-2 after four and half innings due to run-rule, but most of the damage came in one inning for Muenster.
Nocona was coming into the game after a one-sided win against a smaller Saint Jo team, but knew it would have to play well if it wanted a chance to win.
The beginning of the game was competitive as the Lady Indians got on the board first with Skye Kirby driving in a run on a single.
The Lady Hornets loaded the bases up with no outs in the first inning, but Nocona almost got out of the jam unscathed before a passed ball and a single allowed two runs to come in and score. Muenster led 2-1 after the first inning.
The teams exchanged scoreless innings in the second and third before the Lady Hornets broke open in the game in the bottom of the fourth.
Muenster scored 11 runs on three singles, two triples, two walks, three fielding errors and a two-run home run. The Lady Hornets led 13-1.
Nocona needed to score at least three runs in the fifth inning to prevent the game from ending early due to run-rule.
The Lady Indians leadoff batter A Sutton got on base by drawing a walk. She got moved to second base on a groundout and later went to third base on a passed ball.
Heidi Atteberry then grounded out, but it was enough to get Sutton home for a run.
It looked like Nocona would score more as Shelby Sewell hit a single to get on base.
Avery Crutsinger hit a groundball that resulted in an error that allowed her and Sewell to advance to third and second base. Unfortunately, the next batter grounded out to end the game.
The Lady Hornets won 13-2.
Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Lady Panthers lost a high-scoring shootout at home Tuesday night against Era.
The Lady Hornets won 31-15, but the Lady Panthers avoided getting run-ruled in a game that was going their way in the beginning.
Saint Jo was ahead 8-2 after the first three innings and was playing well, until its pitchers started having deep troubles finding the strike zone.
Era scored 11 runs in the fourth inning and took a 13-8 lead and the Lady Panthers could not get the game back in control.
Too many walks and hit batters just could not keep the Lady Hornets off the board and scoring great in the final three innings.
While Saint Jo had success offensively, scoring runs in every inning in the game, it never had an explosive inning it needed to catch back up.
The Lady Panthers scored to keep the game going, trailing 13-9 after four innings, 18-12 after five and 21-13 after six.
Era then ended the game with another 10 runs in the seventh inning to make the final score worse than it was for most of it.
Saint Jo added two runs in the final inning to make the score 31-15 at the end.
Taylor Patrick, Jordyn O’Neal, Krista Reeves and Aubrey Morman each drove in two runs each to lead the team. O’Neal led the team with five hits while her, Patrick and Reagan Wilson each scored three runs each. The team finished with 16 hits in the game and drew four walks.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
Nocona
The Nocona Indians lost in the final inning at Perrin-Whitt on Tuesday night.
The Pirates came back to score all of their runs in the seventh inning to steal a win from the Indians 3-2.
Nocona was coming off a dominant series against Saint Jo the previous week and was hoping it could further that against another 1A team.
It didn’t turn out to be the case despite the Indians leading almost the entire game.
Walker Murphey led off for Nocona and drew a walk.
An error trying to pick him off allowed him to go to second base before a sacrifice bunt moved him to third base.
Following a strikeout, Brody Langford hit a ball to left field that resulted in an error that allowed Murphey to come in and score to put the Indians up 1-0.
The next four innings were scoreless for both teams Nocona nursed its one-run lead into the sixth inning. There the Indians added to their lead.
Wesley Murphey hit a one-out double to get a runner in scoring position.
Langford came through and hit a single that drove in the base runner to put Nocona’s lead up to and feeling good 2-0.
Perrin-Whitt had a great chance to get on the board in the same inning as two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases up with only one out.
Pitcher Walker Murphey got out of the jam with a strikeout and a fly out in foul territory to keep the shutout going.
Unfortunately, that bit of momentum from the Pirates carried over into the seventh inning.
The leadoff batter got on base thanks to an error at shortstop. Two singles followed to load the bases up with no outs. The next batter then hit a bases clearing triple to end the game.
Perrin-Whitt won 3-2.
Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Panthers completed a double-header on Tuesday at Muenster and lost both games.
The Panthers lost the first game against the JV team 7-3 before losing by run-rule against the varsity team 20-1 after three and half innings.
Saint Jo was coming off tough double-header losses to Nocona the previous week and was hoping it could bounce back.
The first game against the JV Hornets team only went five innings. Muenster lead after the first inning 1-0, but the Panthers answered with one run in the third inning to tie the game.
The Hornets responded with two runs scored in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
Saint Jo added two runs in the fifth inning, but it was not enough to catch back up as it lost 7-3.
The game against the varsity team saw most of the damage come in the third inning. Muenster led 2-0 before racking up 18 runs in a third inning that would not end for Saint Jo.
The Panthers answered with one run in the fourth inning to make the final score 20-1.
Charlie Barclay got the only hit for Saint Jo in the game.
The team drew four straight walks in the final inning to score its only run in the game.
Bellevue
The Bellevue Eagles lost a tough game on Tuesday night against 2A Chico.
The Dragons won 12-0 after four and half innings due to run-rule.
Chico scored most of the runs in the first and fourth innings as Bellevue limited the Dragons to just one run in the second and third innings combined.
Chico scored four runs in the first inning and seven in the fourth inning.
Bellevue had only one base hit in the game with Bryce Ramsey hitting a single.
On defense, the team gave up 10 hits and three walks while committing three fielding errors.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
The Bowie Lady Rabbits lost a tough game at Holliday on Monday night.
The Lady Eagles won 12-2 after five innings due to run-rule.
Bowie was hoping it could compete well with Holliday coming off a good win against Vernon in its previous game. While the Lady Rabbits lost to the Lady Eagles in the first game, Bowie had avoided getting run-ruled and took that as a positive sign. Unfortunately, that was not avoided on Monday.
After a scoreless first inning, Bowie had gotten on the board first in the second inning. Sadie Britt led off with a double. Two batters later, Victoria Watson drove her in with a single to put the Lady Rabbits up 1-0.
Unfortunately, Holliday answered with nine runs in the same inning scored on six singles, a double, two walks and two fielding errors. Bowie was down 9-1 and could not get back into the game.
The Lady Eagles added two more runs on a two-run home run in the third inning to go up 11-1.
The Lady Rabbit offense answered in the fourth inning with the same two players coming through again.
Britt led off and hit a single.
Two wild pitches allowed her to advance to third base before two batters later, Watson got her home, this time on a sacrifice fly ball to make it 11-2.
Bowie’s defense allowed no runs in the fourth inning and after failing to score on offense in the fifth inning, it needed to do it again to prevent the game from ending early due to run-rule.
Unfortunately, Holliday loaded the bases up with two singles and a hit batter with no outs before a single drove in one run to end the game.
The Lady Eagles won 12-2.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
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