LCHS Panthers remain undefeated

Stats by Barry Churchwell
Photos by Hulon Dunn

The Lewis County High School Panthers traveled to Cross Plains to take on the East Robertson Indians on Friday night, September 11, 2020.

The first quarter at Cross Plains was a defensive struggle, as the Panther defense limited the Indians to a lone field goal attempt, which the Indians connected on to take a 3-0 lead midway through the quarter. The Panther offense was unable to find paydirt in the quarter and the score stood at 3-0 after the first 12 minutes of action.

The Panthers were able to get the goose egg off the scoreboard early in the second when Ethan McCann scored on a 9-yard run and Blake Carroll converted the point after to give the Panthers their first lead of the game at 7-3. The Indians regained the lead when 4-star receiver Taylor Groves caught a 14-yard touchdown pass, but the Indians missed the PAT and the East Robertson lead was 9-7. It would be the last points the powerful Panther defense would allow.

With 2:51 remaining in the first half, Blake Carroll would break free on a 25-yard touchdown sprint and convert the point after to give the Panthers a 14-9 lead at the half.

The second half was completely controlled by the Panther defense, as the Indians had a net of -4 yards of offense in the third quarter and 30 yards in the fourth while the Panther offense chewed up yards and clock while putting 14 more points on the board. Late in the third quarter, Ethan McCann scored his second touchdown of the night, this time a 2-yard power run, and Blake Carroll added the point after to make the score 22-9 moving into the fourth.

The final scoring drive of the night came midway through the fourth when Lincoln Brewer found the endzone on a 9-yard run. The 2-point conversion failed, but the Panther lead was enough to improve the record to 4-0.

Blake Carroll led the Panther offense with 149 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown, Lincoln Brewer had 87 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown, Ethan McCann 7 carries for 63 yards and 2 touchdowns, Clydarius Sparkman 11 for 62 yards, and Ethan Fransen 1 for 6 yards. Quarterback Bryson James was 0 for 5 passing with an interception on the evening.

The Panther defense limited the Indian offense to a paltry 126 yards of offense. Kael Feichtinger was in on 10 tackles, including 2 for a loss, Sloan Moseley 6 tackles, Robert Young 5 tackles, Lincoln Brewer and Riley Runions 4 tackles, Blake Carroll, Ethan Fransen, Ethan McCann, Jayden Stewart, and Ian Carroll each with 3 tackles, Hunter Smith, Austin Hicks, Ayden Dunn, Alex Fall, and Andrew Willis each with a tackle.

The 4-0 Panthers, now ranked third in the most recent AP poll for 2A, will be back in action Friday night, September 18 as they travel to Summertown for a Region 5AA tilt with the 3-1 Eagles.