(by Don Meador, Allen County Schools)
The opening game of the 2019 football season produced little drama, rather, turning into a long night but a short half. Elizabethtown jumped to an early 14-lead, added 28 unanswered points in the second quarter, and cruised to a victory in a running clock second half.
The Panthers—-a tradition-rich 3A School—-pushed the first of six first half touchdowns into the end zone less than a minute into the game. Carman McNeil scampered 11-yards to cap a four-play 61 yard drive. The point-after touchdown kick by Brandon Parker gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead.
ACS picked up a first down on their first
possession before a pair of incomplete passes stalled the drive. The defensive
stop by the Panthers opened the door to Elizabethtown to again put points on
the board. At the 6:40 mark of the first, McNeil scored on a four-yard run to
close a six-play, 48 yard drive. Parker added the PAT upping the Panther lead
to 14-0.
The Patriots countered with a 31-yard drive that included the first of three catches from junior wide out Jax Cooper. After a chop-block penalty on the Patriots backed the ball to the AC-S 18-yard line, junior quarterback Trace McIntyre hooked up with Cooper for a 37-yard pass play. A four-yard run by junior tailback Landon Witcher placed the ball on the Panthers’ 41 yard line. Again, the drive stalled after a pair of incomplete passes, stalling the drive at the 2:36 mark of the opening period.
Early in the second, T.J. Allen scores on a two- yard run to close a 10-play, 84 yard drive. Parker’s kick lefties E-town to a 21-0 lead at the 10:40 point of the second.
The Patriots gave the Panthers the ball back on their next series but not before the McIntyre-Cooper tandem hooked up again. A 32-yard pass play moved the ball to the E-town 30-yard line. However, a fumble by AC-S and the Elizabethtown recovery put the ball into the hands of the Panthers at the 14-yard line.
Six-plays and 84 yards later, Panther Joseph Becherer sprinted 30 yards to score the team’s fourth touchdown of the game. With 6:45 left in the first half, Elizabethtown had quickly opened a 28-0 lead.
The Patriots again showed signs of life. An 18-yard pass play to Kaynen Cox and a 17-yard scamper from McIntyre helped the Patriots push to the Panthers’ 30-yard line. However, a second fumble put the ball back into the hands of the Panthers with 5:23 left in the first half.
Continuing to use their speed and athleticism, the Panthers wasted little time in finding the end zone. Running at will against the Patriots defenders, gains of 10, 12, 12, and 18 yards allowed E-town to push to the Patriots’ 16 yard line. Changing it up, Panther quarterback Clay Games tossed a 16 yard TD pass to McNeil to close the seven play, 70 yard drive. Parker’s PAT gave the Panthers a 35-0 with 3:27 left in the first half.
A third AC-S turnover led the Panthers’ final score of the half and of the game. Five plays into the next Patriot possession, a hard-hit by an Elizabethtown linebacker popped the ball from the arms of Witcher. McNeil scooped the ball from the hour, broke loose, and raced 56 yards to give his team a 41-0 lead with 1:21 left in the first half. The PAT pushed the score to 42-0.
Despite a running clock in the second half, AC-S continued to fight. A 62-yard run by Witcher jump starter the Patriot offense in the third. Short runs by Christopher Holland, fullback Dillion Rookstool, Witcher and McIntyre helped AC-S march to the E-town nine-yard line. However, the drive stalled at the eight yard line with Elizabethtown’s interception of McIntyre’s pass attempt sealing the stop. The Patriots also put together a 30-yard drive from their 45 yard line to the Panthers’ 23 yard line late in the fourth quarter before turning the ball over on downs.
Witcher finished with 11 carries for 94 yards. Jacquez McPeak picked up 23 yards on the ground with McIntyre adding 22 with his legs. McIntyre also completed five passes for 93 yards. Cooper finished with 66 yards on three receptions.
Defensively, Rookstool recorded six solo tackles, part of a game in which the junior linebacker recorded seven total tackles. Cox had seven total tackles as well.
For the Panthers, Joe Becherer carried the ball 10 times for 141 yards. McNeil had 89 yards. Games completed 8-of-8 passes for 89 yards
AC-S (0-1) will look to pick up their first win this Saturday against Mercer County (1-0) in the Boyle County Bowl at Boyle County High School in Danville. The Titans defeated West Carter 21-0 last week. This will be the third meeting between the two schools with AC-S looking for their first win. Kickoff Saturday is scheduled for 4 p.m. (CDT). Admission will be $10 per person.