Sports irror Wednesday, September 2, 2009 Comeback thwarted Late game heroics foiled by Boerne Champion rally in closing sec onds SAN ANTONIO – Whatever happened in the Midlothian locker room at halftime must have made a dramatic impact on the foot- ball team. For 23 minutes in the second half, the Panthers turned a miserable start into a rally for the ages. But it was the 24th minute that proved to be just a little too much. After a dramatic comeback for a 24-21 lead, Boerne Champion used a 39-yard toss from Taylor Davis to David Massey to ultimately seal a 28-24 victory in the second game of the Texas Football Classic. “It’s going to take a little bit to get over it,” Midlothian coach Robby Clark said. “Anytime you compete you want to win and anytime you lose like that you kind of feel like you get in your own way a little bit. We’ve got to over- come that.” The obstacles Midlothian (0-1) was forced to overcome in its season opener against Champion (1-0) came in large part to self-inflicted wounds. Four first half turnovers resulted in both of the Chargers’ scoring drives. An interception on a screen pass set up Champion run- ning back Brent Sutherland for a 29-yard scamper while a fumble on a delayed handoff led to a Tim Tebow-esque jump ball pass from John Free to Dean Rittiman for a 14-0 Charger lead. The Panthers stopped the bleeding as time expired in the first half with a quick drive that was aided by some timely Champion penalties. A 35-yard reception by Mason York from Dillon Fairbanks set up a 27-yard field goal try for Dillon Wilson which made it 14-3 at the half. That’s when things started changing for Midlothian as a different team seemed to come out of the locker room. After throwing three first half interceptions, Fairbanks came out gunning on the first drive. “In the locker room, coaches and players they all got in all of our faces and said we’re going to turn it around in the second half,” Fairbanks said. “So, we did it.” The junior completed his first three passes of 10, 6 and 13 yards to start the third period. A 12-yard run by Michael Glenn set the Panthers up at the 19-yard line as Fairbanks eyed wide receiver Derrick Agbaroji for Photos by Gary Pucket and Mike Sackett/Special to The Mirror Midlothian wide receiver Eddie Johnson (above) hauls in the go-ahead, 75-yard touchdown pass that put the Panthers up 24-21 with just over two minutes remaining in the season opener. Quarterback Dillon Fairbanks (left) started the game with three interceptions in the first half but came back to throw three touchdowns in the second. Despite his efforts, the Panthers fell 28-24 against Boerne Champion. SAN ANTONIO – It’s not always about how you start, but how you finish. Well, most of the time. After a sluggish first half that saw Boerne run wild against the Midlothian defense, the Panthers clamped down in the second half but the unit’s efforts weren’t quite enough. The Chargers scored the go-ahead touchdown with just over a minute left to play and escaped with a 28-24 win. “I thought the defense overall had a great night. We gave up two scores in the first half off turnovers and they had a short field and some momentum,” Midlothian coach Robby Clark said. Those two first half scores were a 29-yard touchdown run from Brent Sutherland following a Panther intercep- tion and a jump pass after a fumble for a 14-0 lead. While turnovers led direct- ly to the points, the Chargers were able to churn up big first half yardage on the ground thanks to Sutherland. On 10 first half carries, the senior was able to gain exact- ly 100 yards. Two of those carries went for over 25 yards including the 29-yard touch- down scamper. “We were doing good in the first half, the defense was but they were getting good field position and it was hard to get fired up when they’re starting off in the red zone,” linebacker Nathan Fisher said. But if the first half was day, the second half was night for the defense as the Panthers put the clamps on Sutherland. Over the course of the next 24 minutes, he carried the ball another 10 times but this time for just 35 yards with his longest run going for eight yards. The damage came from Charger quarterback Taylor Davis, who netted just 73 yards rushing and 65 yards passing on a 6-of-14 day. Though his stats were not staggering, Davis was not sacked, only turned the ball over once and had just two plays for negative yardage. With the defense limiting Champion to just one scoring drive in the second half, the Midlothian offense provided the rally as two scoring toss- es to Derrick Agbaroji brought the Panthers within striking distance at 21-16. The defense responded by keeping momentum firmly in the Midlothian corner. On a third down and three follow- ing Midlothian’s score, Fisher read a reverse handoff to a trailing wide receiver and wrapped him up for the tack- le and a three-yard loss. “The offense started pick- ing up the pace and that just fired up the defense,” Fisher said. After a Champion punt, Midlothian took the lead on a 75-yard pass to Eddie Johnson. Following the two- point conversion, the Photo by Mike Sackett/Special to The Mirror Hunter Moore wraps up Boerne Champion quarterback Taylor Davis for a sack. The defense held their own against a tough Charger squad. By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer Defense gives sterling performance in opener See PANTHERS, Page 2C See DEFENSE, Page 2C By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer 1C-9-2 sport 2/8/10 12:02 PM Page 1
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Sports irrorWednesday, September 2, 2009
Comeback thwartedLate game heroics foiled by Boerne Champion rally in closing seconds
SAN ANTONIO –Whatever happened in theMidlothian locker room athalftime must have made adramatic impact on the foot-ball team. For 23 minutes inthe second half, the Panthersturned a miserable start into arally for the ages.
But it was the 24th minutethat proved to be just a littletoo much.
After a dramatic comebackfor a 24-21 lead, BoerneChampion used a 39-yardtoss from Taylor Davis toDavid Massey to ultimatelyseal a 28-24 victory in thesecond game of the TexasFootball Classic.
“It’s going to take a littlebit to get over it,” Midlothiancoach Robby Clark said.“Anytime you compete youwant to win and anytime youlose like that you kind of feellike you get in your own waya little bit. We’ve got to over-come that.”
The obstacles Midlothian(0-1) was forced to overcomein its season opener againstChampion (1-0) came inlarge part to self-inflictedwounds. Four first halfturnovers resulted in both ofthe Chargers’ scoring drives.
An interception on a screenpass set up Champion run-
ning back Brent Sutherlandfor a 29-yard scamper while afumble on a delayed handoffled to a Tim Tebow-esquejump ball pass from JohnFree to Dean Rittiman for a14-0 Charger lead.
The Panthers stopped thebleeding as time expired inthe first half with a quickdrive that was aided by sometimely Champion penalties. A35-yard reception by MasonYork from Dillon Fairbanksset up a 27-yard field goal tryfor Dillon Wilson whichmade it 14-3 at the half.
That’s when things startedchanging for Midlothian as adifferent team seemed tocome out of the locker room.After throwing three first halfinterceptions, Fairbankscame out gunning on the firstdrive.
“In the locker room,coaches and players they allgot in all of our faces and saidwe’re going to turn it aroundin the second half,” Fairbankssaid. “So, we did it.”
The junior completed hisfirst three passes of 10, 6 and13 yards to start the thirdperiod. A 12-yard run byMichael Glenn set thePanthers up at the 19-yardline as Fairbanks eyed widereceiver Derrick Agbaroji for
Photos by Gary Pucket and Mike Sackett/Special to The Mirror
Midlothian wide receiver Eddie Johnson (above) hauls in the go-ahead, 75-yard touchdown pass that putthe Panthers up 24-21 with just over two minutes remaining in the season opener. Quarterback DillonFairbanks (left) started the game with three interceptions in the first half but came back to throw threetouchdowns in the second. Despite his efforts, the Panthers fell 28-24 against Boerne Champion.
SAN ANTONIO – It’s notalways about how you start,but how you finish. Well,most of the time.
After a sluggish first halfthat saw Boerne run wildagainst the Midlothiandefense, the Panthersclamped down in the secondhalf but the unit’s effortsweren’t quite enough. TheChargers scored the go-aheadtouchdown with just over aminute left to play andescaped with a 28-24 win.
“I thought the defenseoverall had a great night. Wegave up two scores in the firsthalf off turnovers and theyhad a short field and somemomentum,” Midlothiancoach Robby Clark said.
Those two first half scoreswere a 29-yard touchdownrun from Brent Sutherlandfollowing a Panther intercep-tion and a jump pass after afumble for a 14-0 lead.
While turnovers led direct-ly to the points, the Chargers
were able to churn up bigfirst half yardage on theground thanks to Sutherland.On 10 first half carries, thesenior was able to gain exact-ly 100 yards. Two of thosecarries went for over 25 yardsincluding the 29-yard touch-down scamper.
“We were doing good inthe first half, the defense wasbut they were getting goodfield position and it was hardto get fired up when they’restarting off in the red zone,”linebacker Nathan Fishersaid.
But if the first half wasday, the second half wasnight for the defense as thePanthers put the clamps onSutherland. Over the courseof the next 24 minutes, hecarried the ball another 10times but this time for just 35yards with his longest rungoing for eight yards.
The damage came fromCharger quarterback TaylorDavis, who netted just 73yards rushing and 65 yardspassing on a 6-of-14 day.Though his stats were not
staggering, Davis was notsacked, only turned the ballover once and had just twoplays for negative yardage.
With the defense limitingChampion to just one scoringdrive in the second half, theMidlothian offense providedthe rally as two scoring toss-es to Derrick Agbarojibrought the Panthers withinstriking distance at 21-16.
The defense responded bykeeping momentum firmly inthe Midlothian corner. On athird down and three follow-ing Midlothian’s score,Fisher read a reverse handoffto a trailing wide receiver andwrapped him up for the tack-le and a three-yard loss.
“The offense started pick-ing up the pace and that justfired up the defense,” Fishersaid.
After a Champion punt,Midlothian took the lead on a75-yard pass to EddieJohnson. Following the two-point conversion, the
Photo by Mike Sackett/Special to The Mirror
Hunter Moore wraps up Boerne Champion quarterback Taylor Davis for a sack.The defense held their own against a tough Charger squad.
By ALEX RILEY
Mirror sports writer
Defense gives sterling performance in opener
See PANTHERS, Page 2C
See DEFENSE, Page 2C
By ALEX RILEY
Mirror sports writer
1C-9-2 sport 2/8/10 12:02 PM Page 1
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