Pinewood just loses out to Laurence Manning | Sports | Summerville Journal Scene

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Pinewood just loses out to Laurence Manning

Published Tuesday, October 06, 2009 1:17 PM

By Dan Stone
Summerville Journal Scene ®

There was a catfight Friday night in Summerville, but it was the Swamp Cats who roared while the Panthers purred.

The visitors from Laurence Manning laid a heartbreaking defeat on Pinewood on Senior Night by a score of 21-18. The loss evens the Panthers’ record at 3-3.

“This was a disappointing loss for our football team” Pinewood coach Pinky Guerard said. “We felt like this was a winnable game but we made too many mistakes for the scoreboard to reflect this. Luckily, these mistakes are correctable and we feel we still have a good chance to become a better team and to make the playoffs.”

On a night when two senior cheerleaders and nine football players were recognized, the Panthers got off to a promising start.

Winning the toss and electing to receive, they moved the ball smartly down the field behind the running of Bruce Haynes and Moses Richardson.

Then, with a third and goal from the two, the Panthers were flagged for holding. The next play lost an additional 13 yards and they had to settle for a Thomas Ferro field goal from 33 yards. The Panthers had their first and last lead of the night.

The defense held and on their second possession the Panthers kept the ball on the ground. This drive was highlighted by a Richardson run of 16 yards during which about half the visitors’ defense bounced off of him.

On the first play of the second quarter, the Panthers were again stymied by a penalty. On fourth-and-14, a 41-yard field goal attempt went awry.

After the Pinewood D held the Swamp Cats to a three-and-out, disaster struck. The Panthers’ own fourth-down punt was blocked and recovered by the Cats on the Panther 21. It took six plays before Graison Matthews carried it in from the 2. The PAT was no good.

Neither side was able to move the ball on their last drive of the second quarter and the score stood 6-3 at halftime.

The Swamp Cats received to start the second half and quickly moved down to the Pinewood 30, helped by a roughing the passer call.

The Panther defense stiffened and the visitors found themselves looking at a fourth-and-16. They decided to go for it and quarterback Josh Boykin lofted a 26-yard strike to the 4.

On the next play, Banks Lee took it across. The two-point conversion was good and the score stood at 14-3.

The Panthers then returned to the running game. Richardson gained 30 yards on three carries and Chris Morgan had a scintillating run of 21 yards down to the Swamp Cat 11. The promising drive died there with a Panther fumble.

Damien Simmons then turned the tables on the visitors when he intercepted a Boykin pass and returned the ball to the Swamp Cats’ 4. On the first play, Haynes bulled in for the score.

The Panthers went for two, made it, and the score stood 14-11.

The rest of the game took on a roller coaster quality.

After holding the visitors to a three and out on the next drive, the punt reception was muffed and recovered by the kicking team. Another three plays and the visitors fumbled.

Unfortunately, Pinewood was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. This moved the ball back to the 10. Unable to move, the Panthers punted. The Swamp Cats then put the final nail in the coffin.

After a 15-yard penalty against the Panthers for having 12 men on the field, Lee scored from the 20. The extra point was good and the home team was staring at the short end of a 21-11 score and too little time remaining.

The Panthers struck back quickly. Starting on their own 38, they quickly struck pay dirt. A blazing 45-yard run by Haynes set up a scoring strike to Damien Simmons from the six with a minute and a half remaining in the game.

Desperately needing a three and out, the defense gave up consecutive first downs and the thread was cut on the Panthers’ last faint hope.

Moses Richardson had 104 yards on 16 carries. Seventy-three of these came during the first quarter. Haynes added 70 on the ground and 33 more by air. Simmons had 18 on four carries and Chris Morgan added 17 on two.

Haynes completed 4-of-12 for 33 yards. Morgan had one reception for 14 yards, Simmons two for 13 and Glenn caught a six-yarder.

On defense, Simmons led all tacklers with 10, including a monster sack. He also picked up his seventh interception of the season.

Ethan Gaskins added nine tackles, Pendley had nine including two sacks, and Zuvia had eight. Dillon Thies had a sack, Lucas Clark recovered a fumble and Benjamin Goodsell played tough up the middle.

The Panthers will be on the road this Friday against Northwood at Gahagan Field. Kick off is set for 7:30.

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