Raiders try but Panthers prevail

Barry Churchwell, Stats

The Lewis County High School Panthers football team traveled to Spring Hill on Friday, September 10th to face off with the 5A Spring Hill Raiders.

The Panther offense struggled early to get on track, but the Panther defense held strong in the first quarter, limiting the Raiders and forcing a fumble that was picked up by Kai Bosque and taken into the endzone for the first points of the game. A failed point after attempt made the score 6-0 Lewis County at the end of the first.

The Raiders would counter in the second quarter as Joel Herring found the endzone on an 8-yard run, and a two-point conversion gave Spring Hill an 8-6 lead.

On the Panthers' next possession, a drive ended with a score as Blake Carroll scampered 11 yards for a score, and Brycen McDonald hit Carroll with a pass in the endzone for the two-point conversion and Lewis County reclaimed the lead 14-8.

The two teams played tough defense in the third quarter as neither team could put together a scoring drive and the score remained 14-8 Lewis County heading into the fourth quarter.

The Panther defense would put more points on the board, this time via safety midway through the final 12 minutes to extend the lead to 16-8. On the following possession after the safety, the Panthers would take advantage of a short field and tack on seven more with a 4-yard run by Carroll and his PAT to make the score 23-8.

Spring Hill would mount a drive in the waning minutes and score on a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Blaise Martin to Kaiden Martin and a two-point run by Blaise Martin to make the score 23-16, which would hold until the final horn giving the Panthers a hard-fought 23-16 win.

Blake Carroll had 21 carries for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns, Kael Feichtinger had 15 carries for 73 yards, Austin Hicks 1 carry for 44 yards, and Lincoln Brewer 6 carries for 12 yards. Brycen McDonald was 3 for 6 for 46 yards passing, Dyer Barnes had 1 reception for 34 yards, Lincoln Brewer 1 reception for 15 yards, and Bentley Kelsey 1 reception for -3.

Lincoln Brewer had 13 tackles and 2 for a loss, Kael Feichtinger had 11 tackles, Hunter Smith 6 tackles and 1 for loss, Dyer Barnes 5 tackles, Jayden Stewart had 4 tackles with 1 for loss, Lane Barnes, Eli Carroll, and Zander Frierson 4 tackles each, Chaz Sparkman 3 tackles with 1 for loss, Austin Hicks 2 tackles, and Blake Carroll, James Azcarate, and Cole Farr 1 tackle each.

The Panthers return home on Friday, September 17th for a region game and the "Battle for the Brown Jug" in the rivalry matchup with Hickman County.