The Saint Jo Panthers had a happy homecoming on Friday as they beat highly regarded Union Hill.
The Panthers pulled away in the fourth quarter to make the final score 60-22 though the game felt like it was closer and more competitive in the first three quarters.
Saint Jo was coming into the game following a disappointing loss against state-ranked Jonesboro that was super close. The Bulldogs gave the Panthers their only regular season loss last year and came into the season ranked 12th in the state.
Early on it was going Union Hill’s way. Saint Jo recovered the onside kick to start the game, but its opening drive stalled and the Bulldogs drove down and scored on a touchdown pass on fourth down to go up 8-0.
The Panthers followed by turning the ball over on an interception and it looked early on like things might get ugly for Saint Jo.
Thankfully, the Panthers’ defense came through with a big play as Payton Harris recovered a fumble on defense and ran it in for a touchdown to tie the game at 8-8.
Before the first quarter was done, the defense forced a turnover on downs on its next possession. Saint Jo quarterback Matthew Butler-Everson then redeemed himself as he threw a perfect 31-yard touchdown pass to Devin Stewart to put the Panthers up 16-8.
Union Hill’s next offensive series moved the ball into Saint Jo’s territory. Facing fourth down, the Bulldogs attempted a field goal, which is rarely seen in six-man.
The Panthers blocked the attempt and then drove the ball down the field. Unfortunately, Saint Jo could not take advantage as the offense the fumbled the ball away to Union Hill.
Luckily, the Panther defense stonewalled the Bulldogs from moving the ball at all. Backed up in its own territory and facing a fourth down and 20 yards for a first down, Union Hill decided to punt the ball away.
With less than two minutes left before halftime, Saint Jo would need to move the ball quickly. Everson dropped back to pass and threw the ball up to Stewart again, who reeled in the pass for a 39-yard touchdown catch.
The Panthers went into the locker room at halftime up 22-8.
Saint Jo received the ball to start the third quarter and took no time to score. Running back Logan Brawner, who the Bulldogs were gunning to stop, ran in a touchdown from 18 yards out to make the score 30-8.
The Panthers then recovered an onside kick, but unfortunately the offense gave the ball back by throwing another interception. Union Hill then drove the ball down and scored on a short run to cut the lead to 30-16.
Saint Jo’s offense looked like it was going to stall out on its next drive. Facing a fourth and long conversion, Butler-Everson then completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to AJ Wright to up the lead to 36-16.
The Bulldogs answered on their next drive, thanked by two personal foul penalties before scoring on a short pass to make the score 36-22 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Panthers started to pull away. Their offense scored on another fourth and long as Brawner scored on an 18-yard run to make the score 44-22. Brawner then intercepted a pass on defense before later getting loose for a 41-yard run on offense to make the score 52-22.
Saint Jo recovered its third onside kick which then led to Jordan Reeves running in a short touchdown on offense from four yard out to make the score 60-22.
The defense got one final stop as Dawson Everson picked off a pass to seal the win.

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