Panthers maul Farmers

by David Tesitor
SARGENT- The John Mall Panthers defeated the Sargent Farmers in non-conference play last Friday, 41-13, to take their record to 1-1.
The decisive victory came on the ground. The Panthers went to their backfield to score which included a fifty-six yard touchdown run from Jacob Wiggins in the third quarter. This was Wiggins’ second TD run of the evening. His first came off a two-yard run, also in the third.
Dylan Tenorio however was the workhorse for the Cats, taking the ball ten times for sixty-five yards and one touchdown. He also was the team’s leading receiver with nineteen yards on two receptions.
As a team, the Panthers executed forty-one rushing plays for 207 yards. The line helped open up gaps for players to carry the ball through the Farmer defense. They also did a great job of protecting their quarterback. Clayton Berger was not sacked.
Last week against Akron, Berger scrambled because the Panther line could not stop the rushing Rams. The Sargent game told a different story. Berger went seven for eleven for sixty-seven yards. According to Coach Berger, “Our passing game needs to be better if we are going to beat the good teams in our league.”
The special teams also contributed to the victory as Wiggins returned a punt for fifty-seven yards to set up a Panther score.
On the other side of the ball, the Panther defense controlled the tempo of the game, stopping the Farmers’ scoring opportunities and keeping them out of the red zone. The Farmers were three of eleven on third down and one of three on fourth-down attempts. Their two scores came off a seventy-six yard run by Vinny Conroy and a twenty-five yard scamper by Colton Cooley, the Farmers’ longest runs of the night.
After the game, Coach Berger commented, “Overall I thought we played a good game. I am happy with the way our guys bounced back from the Akron game.” The Panthers had a short week of practice this week. Berger said, “We really need to focus at practice so we are prepared for Center.”
The Vikings will be in town tomorrow, and the Panthers will have their first home game under the lights in three years. The team’s goal is to come out focused and ready to play hard for the home crowd. Kickoff is set for 7 pm.