The Saint Jo Panthers came up just short hosting one of the top ranked teams in the state Jonesboro on Friday.
The Eagles late onside kick recovery allowed them to go two-scores up as they won 64-50.
It was not ideal circumstances to play one of the toughest games of the season. The day before the game, the Panthers original opponent Forestburg canceled due to roster numbers being too low.
Saint Jo then scheduled Jonesboro, the undefeated fourth ranked team in the state it had scrimmaged more than a month ago.
The Panthers got the ball first and capped off the drive with a short touchdown run from Logan Brawner to go up 6-0. The Eagles answered back with their own touchdown drive with runs off tackle being featured. The score was tied at 6-6.
The teams traded scoring drives again as Saint Jo’s Brawner scored on a 50-yard run and Jonesboro executed another methodical drive to tie the score 14-14.
Brawner scored on another long run (53 yards) to put the Panthers up 22-14. The defense then forced the first turnover on downs of the game right before the end of the first quarter.
Saint Jo had the opportunity to go up two scores, but unfortunately turned the ball right back over on downs to start the second quarter.
The Panther defense looked like it might get another stop forcing Jonesboro to a fourth down. The Eagles came through completing a 35-yard touchdown pass to tie the game up at 22-22.
The teams then traded touchdown drives as Brawner scored on a short run and Jonesboro scored on a 23-yard run to make it 30-30.
Saint Jo had the ball next and the offense failed to score.
An interception from the Eagles at their own six-yard line on fourth and long ended up working like a punt.
Jonesboro had 1:49 left before halftime to score and take the lead, but the Panther defense made the Eagles run out of time. The team’s went into halftime tied 30-30.
Jonesboro received the ball to start the second half and drove down to score on a short run to go up for the first time in the game 38-30.
The Eagles defense had started to zero in on Saint Jo’s Brawner running the ball and the Panthers turned the ball over on downs. This allowed Jonesboro to take a two score lead as it scored on the next drive to make the score 44-30.
Still Brawner proved dangerous as on the next drive he had two runs for 55 total yards, one being a 23-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 44-38.
Saint Jo’s defense then forced a turnover as Jordan Reeves recovered a fumble. The Panthers took advantage, tying the game at 44-44 early in the fourth quarter on a Brawner eight yard run.
The defense would need to come away with another stop to have chance to take the lead again, but the physical Eagles had wore down the Panthers by this time.
Jonesboro scored on a short run to retake the lead 50-44, which left the door open for Saint Jo to take the lead if it also converted its extra point following another touchdown.
The Panthers did not get that chance. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Eagles onside kick bounced awkwardly enough to allow them to recover the kick.
Three plays later Jonesboro was scoring on a 14-yard run to go up 58-44.
Saint Jo did score on its next possession with Jace Johnson scoring a on a one-yard plunge. It cut the score to 58-50, but the drive had taken up a lot of time with only 1:37 left to play.
The Panthers would need to either recover the onside kick on the kickoff or force a turnover on defense if they failed to.
Neither happened. Jonesboro recovered the onside kick and went on to score on a four-yard run with 38 seconds left to ice the game, making the final score 64-50.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.