The Saint Jo Panthers could not pull off another playoff upset on Friday night against second ranked Abbott.
Abbott was able to snowball a huge second quarter run into winning 70-24, ending the game early in the second quarter due to mercy-rule.
Saint Jo knew it had a tough game in front, but it was the third game in a row for the team that felt like it could compete with any team in the state. Saint Jo had upset the 10th ranked team in the state the previous week, Avalon. The team was 9-0 to start the season before falling to Union Hill in a winnable game in the finale to lose its shot at the district title and a one-seed which would have made its playoff schedule easier.
Abbott started the season ranked second after returning everyone besides its coach from a team that went 12-1, losing in the quarterfinals to eventual state champion Gordon. So far, the team had lived up to that ranking, going undefeated with only one game not ending early due to mercy rule.
Abbott jumped out to a two touchdown lead with two rushing touchdowns, leading 16-0. Saint Jo’s offense answered as Devin Stewart found Jayden Curry for a nine-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 16-8.
Abbott answered with a 28-yard touchdown pass to go up 22-8 heading into the second quarter.
Saint Jo was able to start the second quarter on a good note. The offense moved down the field and Stewart eventually scrambled for a 14-yard touchdown run. It made it a one-score game again, with Saint Jo trailing just 22-16.
Abbott was able to go back up by two scores with a 26-yard touchdown run to make it 30-16. Still, Saint Jo’s offense had some explosion as Stewart found Lee Yeley for a 50-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 30-24.
It looked Saint Jo was in another high scoring dogfight like it was last week as long as its offense could keep executing at a high level. Unfortunately, even with almost half of the second quarter gone, this is where the game turned for the worse for Saint Jo.
Abbott answered with a quick 45-yard touchdown pass. After kicking the ball deep back to Saint Jo, the Abbott defense forced a turnover, recovering a fumble at the six-yard line. The team then converted the turnover into a short touchdown run as Abbott led 46-24.
There was still enough time for Saint Jo to try and score before halftime. The team drove down the field before facing a fourth down at Abbott’s 12-yard line. Heaving up a prayer to the end zone, Abbott intercepted the pass in the end zone for a turnover.
The team then capitalized on having the ball again despite having less than a minute before halftime. Abbott scored on a 60-yard touchdown run to make 54-24.
With less than a minute left, that was enough time for more things to go wrong. A long kickoff pinned Saint Jo at its nine-yard line. Abbott’s defense was quickly able to drive the offense back for a safety, scoring it two points and getting the ball back.
Saint Jo was able to pin Abbott back to its own eight-yard line and finally felt a little safe with only seconds left before halftime. Then Abbott connected on a 72-yard touchdown pass.
Abbott led 64-24 at halftime as the shell-shocked Saint Jo team tried to recover.
In what was a one-score game midway through the second quarter, Abbott had scored 34 unanswered points, including 24 in the final minute of play.
Saint Jo was going to have to get back into it with its defense since it was going to be kicking off to start the second half. Abbott only needed to score once more to end the game due to the 45-point mercy-rule.
Unfortunately, Saint Jo did not recover the attempted onside kick and the defense could not slow down Abbott. The team scored on a 41-yard run for the final play of the game.
Abbott won 70-24 with eight minutes to play in the third quarter.

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

The Gold-Burg Bears lost in the area round of the playoffs on Friday night against Oakwood at Ferris High School.
The Panthers won 63-24 in a game where the Bears were trailing, but never gave up.
Gold-Burg came into the game confident and hopeful it could keep its magical season going. For only the second time in program history, the Bears had not only won the district title, but had won their bi-district playoff game the previous week.
The win the previous week against Woodson had cost a starter as Caleb Epperson could only watch from the sideline a week after suffering a serious head injury. Still, Gold-Burg thought it could overcome and set more program history by advancing past the area round.
Oakwood had a nearly identical record at 6-5 while the Bears had a 7-4 record. The Panthers were only ranked four spots higher than the Bears heading into this season so it looked like the game was going to an evenly matched thriller.
Oakwood took the first drive and slowly but surely worked its way down the field, mixing in power runs with Gavin Wilbanks before letting its most dynamic athlete, Dayden Velasquez, handle the ball in situations in pass-run plays.
Gold-Burg made the Panthers earn every yard in a nearly five minute drive, but Oakwood executed and scored on a short touchdown run to take the early lead 7-0.
Then the Panthers recovered the ensuing onside kick and it looked like things were about to turn real bad for Gold-Burg. Thankfully, the Bears’ defense again was stiff in Oakwood’s slow march towards their end zone.
This time, Gold-Burg was able to keep the Panthers out, forcing a turnover on downs at its own five-yard line.
Unfortunately, the Bears first offensive drive did not go anywhere. Backed up near its own end zone, Gold-Burg made the rare call, in six-man football, to punt the ball away.
Oakwood would then score less than a minute later on a nine-yard run to push its lead to 15-0 heading into the second quarter.
The Bears’ offense had a bit better of a time on their second drive. Gold-Burg stuck to the script this time around, running hard for short but consistent gains and even got a pass interference call to keep the chains moving.
Then the Bears set up a middle wide-receiver screen pass to Keelyn Case from Levi Hellinger for a 16-yard touchdown pass. It cut the lead to 15-8 and Gold-Burg had renewed hope.
Unfortunately, Oakwood answered back quickly. Getting away from its power running game that the Bears had defended well despite being the smaller team overall, the Panthers decided to play out of the spread more and empower Velasquez to take the reins.
He scored on his second touchdown run of the game, this one a 26-yard run, to put Oakwood back up by two scores 23-8.
Despite Gold-Burg coming off a successful drive, its offense stalled in its next drive. Not able to pick up consistent short to medium gains, the Bears were hunting for the big play more and more and came up empty, turning it over on downs at its own 32-yard line.
It looked like Gold-Burg’s defense might hold as it prevented Oakwood from moving the ball much farther, until Velasquez found a receiver open for a 25-yard touchdown pass after scrambling around. The Panthers led 31-8 heading into halftime.
Frustrations had mounted in the first half as the Bears fell further behind, with offensive execution and body language being some things coaches and players were upset about. While those stayed around until the end of the game, it did not lead to the boiling point explosion that it seemed like it might by the end of the game.
The second half saw Gold-Burg come out and lead a successful offensive drive. Paul Jones got loose on a 23-yard touchdown run to get the Bears back on the board and cut the lead to 31-15.
While Gold-Burg’s defense did a good job of making Oakwood’s offense work, it was not enough to get a stop as the Panthers eventually scored on a short touchdown pass.
The Bears’ offense could not keep the momentum going from their previous drive as again they got behind the chains and were looking for a big play to bail them out. Gold-Burg turned the ball over on downs at its own 30-yard line.
It looked like Oakwood was on its way to score again as it moved inside the Bears’ red zone area. Gold-Burg got a break when Hayden Chambers ripped the ball away from a Panther player to force turnover.
Unfortunately, the Bears were backed up near their own end zone. That came into play as Gold-Burg was tackled for a loss in the end zone for a safety.
It made the score 41-16 heading into the fourth quarter as Oakwood got the ball back.
The Panthers scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass early in the final period to extend the lead to 49-16.
Gold-Burg’s offense answered back as a pass against pressure made Oakwood pay. Jayton Epperson hit Case for a quick pass he took 33 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 49-24.
Unfortunately, that would be the final good thing that went the Bears’ way.
Oakwood would score twice more, once on a big run and another on a big pass play, while also forcing two turnovers on defense before the game was up.
Gold-Burg did just enough to avoid having the game ended due to mercy-rule. The Panthers won 63-24.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News. For more pictures from the game, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6870730&T=1

The Nocona Indians were able to beat Saint Jo at home on Thursday night in a tight contest.
The Indians won 55-48 against the Panthers in a game where both teams played hard, but made plenty of early season mistakes.
Nocona came into the game following a low-scoring win against Bells earlier in the week 35-30. For a young Indians team that only has a few players with varsity experience this year, every early season win builds confidence.
For Saint Jo, the Panthers were still without several returning starters since football is still going on. Despite that, new Coach Jacob Nocktonick is trying to build what he can with his group of basketball first players that include several key players even when the football team is integrated.
Despite Saint Jo being the smaller school, overall it had the height advantage in the front line since Nocona features only one player, Kasch Johnson, who is built like a post player. That is nothing new for the Indians, who featured a short team the previous year as Coach Brody Wilson emphasizes full-court pressure on defense and pushing the ball in transition in his system that makes up for a lack of height and size.
Initially Nocona’s pace and energy, grabbing several offensive rebounds, got it the lead 9-3. Eventually, the Panthers adjusted and trailed only 12-11 after the first quarter.
Saint Jo got the lead early in the second quarter. Post Trent Gaston took advantage of his size advantage, especially when the Indians had Johnson out, and led 17-12. Both teams had trouble scoring in a rough second quarter as open perimeter shots just were not going in and shots at the rim were tough to convert.
The Panthers led 23-20 heading into halftime.
Both teams had better offensive success pushing the ball when it could in the second half.
Saint Jo broke Nocona’s press and punished the Indians with quick baskets. Nocona ran whenever it could and seemed to put up an array of perimeter shots and drives, getting offensive rebounds it seemed at will to keep the pressure up and infuriate the Panthers coach.
The Indians got a big push from Landon Fatheree in the second half. After scoring eight points in the first half to lead the team, he scored 10 of his team’s 14 points in the third quarter.
Nocona got the lead back, but only led 34-33 heading into the final period.
The Indians had a comfortable lead up 44-36 when Saint Jo’s Gaston fouled out with 4:56 left in the game. Still, the Panthers did not give up and a minute later had whittled Nocona’s lead down to one basket 44-41 with 3:45.
The game stayed a one-possession game for the next two minutes as Saint Jo had several chances to tie or take the lead not go through.
Nocona made its free throws down the stretch to win with a little more comfort, with the final score being 55-48.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News. To see more pictures, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6870682&T=1