It was a tough week for both Mustang and Panther football; a week when CCMS and CCHS, as well as the CCPIF league, were scheduled to play against teams from Braxton County.
The Mustangs hit the road Thursday afternoon and headed to Braxton for their season opener. The Mustangs came into the game with a small team, the least number of players I have seen on the Mustang roster so far. However, with that being said, it was game on regardless, and the Mustangs were ready to play. Once the game started, the Knights tried their running game against the Mustang front line and there was nowhere to go but the ground. If they did get through, the Mustang linebackers finished them off. The game changer was the air show of the Knights. The Mustang backfield defense got scorched a few times and the Knights put six points on the board late in the first quarter. They added another six on a pass completion, making it 0-12 at the half.
The Mustang offense had a tough time finding any breathing room in the game. In the third quarter, the Knights added two more points on a safety, making it 0-14. But that was it – the Mustang defense stepped up and stopped the Knights on their running and their air show. The fourth quarter was much of the same except for one hiccup in the backfield when the Knights scored one more time before the game ended. The final score was Mustangs 0, Knights 22. It was a tough first game for the Mustangs, but there is a lot of football left in the season. Next up will be Summersville Middle school on September 7. It will be another test for the Mustangs but is sure to be a good game.
The Panthers were up next, and the threat of rain didn’t put a damper on the turn out. Both stands were full with standing room only. This particular game is always a neighboring rivalry and a good game. This year’s game, however, was almost overshadowed through media hype and general talk among the circles about the prayer before games for protection of the players. I am not sure that other than last year was a prayer said before a game anyway, so why the hype? I guess it was one person’s way to get attention and a media’s way to make news and get people stirred up and ready to fight. The threat of lawsuits against an already strapped for cash county was enough to force the school board to put an end to praying for players safety over the loud speaker at the beginning of the games. I am not sure what possessed an individual to threaten the existence of a county over a prayer and threaten the well being of so many youth that would be affected by a lawsuit against the county, but there are counties in California that would love to have you – just saying. This night was all about football once the moment of silence was held so that anybody could pray if they wanted to. And pray they did, both teams in the middle of the field along with fans in the stands. Then, it was game on.
Just like in the Mustang game, the Eagles brought an air show and a tank in #33. The Panthers had a tough time in the first quarter stopping either, and the points were racking up for the Eagles. It was Eagles up 20 points in the first quarter after an onside kick gave the Eagles possession and they ran for a touchdown. The Panthers turned on the defense after that, and held the Eagles to just six more in the second.
In the first half, the Panthers had a tough time on offense as well having a hard time gaining yards. The second half was a different ballgame – the Panthers came out on fire and took out the tracks of the tank. The air show was almost shut down; the Panther secondary stepped up and closed off the gaps. The offense also stepped up their game and started getting through. Alex Grose brought his gun out and started zeroing it in. He hit Ryan Burdette in the end zone for the Panthers’ first score. If the Panthers had played in the first half like they did in the second, the game may very well have ended differently. However, when the smoke cleared, it was Panthers 13, Eagles 32. Next up will be Roane County at home this Friday night. Come out and support the Panthers, and let’s hope that the same individual doesn’t protest raising the flag or the national anthem just to get some attention.
