The Saint Jo Panthers started their playoff run on Friday with a win against Leveretts Chapel for the second straight season.
The Panthers never trailed in their 53-24 win against the Lions, but just could not finish off the speedy and unpredictable team from Leveretts Chapel as the game went all four quarters.
Saint Jo got the ball first and had running back Logan Brawner score on a 17-yard run to go up 8-0. The Lions answered on their opening drive, converting on fourth down to score on a short touchdown pass to tie the game at 8-8.
The Panthers scored on their next drive as Jace Johnson scored on a short run to give the team back the lead 16-8. Saint Jo looked primed to go up another score as the team recovered the onside kick. Unfortunately, Leveretts Chapel got a rare stop, forcing the Panthers a turnover-on-downs.
Luckily, Saint Jo’s defense got the ball back, backing the Lions up and forcing them into a rarely seen punt. With the ball back, the Panthers offense got another big run as Brawner got loose on a 31-yard run to put Saint Jo up 24-8.
A long Leveretts Chapel drive into Panthers territory ended with no points as Saint Jo’s defense held on fourth and one to give the Panthers the ball back with 2:23 left before halftime.
The team needed all of the time it could manage as it slowly worked down the field. The team had to overcome a 10-yard holding penalty on the first play of the drive and later had to convert a fourth and short play.
With little time left and timeouts few, the team had to start throwing. Quarterback Matthew Butler-Everson completed a big 25-yard pass to Johnathon Diaz to get the team within striking distance. He then threw the ball up to Brawner who came up with the 17-yard touchdown catch to put Saint Jo up 32-8 heading into halftime.
The Panthers’ defense forced a quick turnover on downs on Leveretts Chapel’s opening drive. Unfortunately, Saint Jo lost Butler-Everson to an injury on its first offensive play. Payton Harris, who started the team’s first two games of the season at quarterback, came in but the offense was reeling as the team turned the ball over on downs.
The Lions’ offense could not take advantage. On fourth down, Brawner intercepted the pass to give the ball back to the Panthers.
The offense started rolling then as Harris completed a big pass to Devin Stewart for 41 yards that set up Brawner scoring on a 12-yard run to make the score 38-8.
The defense came through with another turnover as Brawner was involved again in recovering a fumble on the Lions first offensive play of the drive.
On offense, Harris completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Diaz to make the score 45-8 heading into the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately, Leveretts Chapel was not going to lay down and let the game end if it gave up one more score. The team got a big kickoff return to the Panthers 10-yard line. On the first offensive play the Lions then scored on a run to cut the lead to 45-16.
Saint Jo’s offense was rolling as Harris converted two third downs with passes to Diaz to keep the drive moving. Later Harris found Stewart for an 18-yard touchdown pass to put the Panthers up 51-16.
The Lions were not done though. On the first play of its next drive, Leveretts Chapel scored on a 51-yard run to make the score 51-24.
Saint Jo’s offense drove close to the Lions goal line on its next drive. Unfortuantely, the Panthers offense stalled on fourth down to give the ball back to Leveretts Chapel.
Backed up near their end zone though, a negative run from the Lions saw Saint Jo’s defense force a safety.
Not only did it make the score 53-24, it gave the ball back to the Panthers who then ran the clock out to end the game.

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