LCMS football finishes season

Jason Fite/Sports Writer

Barry Churchwell/Stats

The Lewis County Middle School Panthers closed out their 2023 football season on the road on Tuesday, September 26, travelling to Savannah to face the Hardin County Tigers.

After a back and forth, scoreless first quarter, the Tigers broke the tie seconds into the second period as they scored on a 25-yard touchdown run to go up 6-0.

Hardin County would tack on another second-quarter score minutes later on a 39-yard touchdown pass to take a 12-0 lead.

The Panthers would strike on the final play of the first half as Gavin Coker broke free on a 27-yard touchdown run, and carry the conversion run, and Lewis County went in at the half trailing 12-8.

The second half would belong to Hardin County. The Tigers would march deep into Panther territory and score on a 2-yard dive to claim an 18-8 lead.

The Tigers would benefit from great field position moments later and score on a 21-yard run and add the conversion run to take a 26-8 lead into the fourth quarter.

Hardin County would cap off the scoring in the fourth, scoring on a 6-yard run and adding the conversion run with just over a minute remaining in regulation to secure a 34-8 win over the Panthers.

Gavin Coker led the Panther ground attack with 28 yards on 8 carries and a touchdown. Knox Rainey added 21 yards on 4 carries, and Eli Chapin had 2 carries for 17 yards.

Quarterback Brody Clayton was 6 for 10 passing for 71 yards and an interception, and Gavin Coker completed his only attempt for 43 yards. Coker had 4 receptions for 57 yards, Eli Chapin 2 for 14, and Anthony Garcia 1 for 43 yards.