Before I begin, I’d like to apologize to our readers for the mistake I made in last week’s article. In last week’s article, I said the Panthers would be facing off against the Newton County Cougars due to a schedule miscommunication. To the many Panther fans that arrived at Newton County High School instead of Newton Municipal High School, I offer my sincerest apologies, and I will be verifying the locations of each game to ensure that this mistake will not happen again.
Last Friday, the Quitman Panthers visited the Newton Municipal High School Tigers, a school that Panther fans tell me we haven’t played in many years and was be a formidable opponent for the Panthers. In the first quarter of the game, the Tigers won the coin toss and kicked off the game. Freshman down back # 68, Savion Sholes, caught the kick at the Panther 46 yard line before being tackled by the Tigers. Freshman quarterback #16, Jaliel Cameron, kicked the ball into Tiger territory at the 31 yard line. The Tigers then took control of the ball and ran the ball to the Panther 16 yard line. The Tigers then scored a touchdown against the Panthers, followed by a successful two point conversion. The score was then Panthers 0 - Tigers 8. Tigers kicked off once again with the ball being caught by Freshman running back #5, Akylin Dear, who ran the ball to the Tiger 34 yard line. Dear then ran the ball to the Tiger endzone, scoring a touchdown for the Panthers. The following point after touchdown was not successful. The score was then Panthers 6 - Tigers 8. The Panthers kicked off where the Tigers caught the ball and ran it all the way to the Panther endzone. The Tigers attempted a two point conversion that was not successful, leaving the score at Panthers 6 - Tigers 14. The Tigers pushed the ball to the Panther 15 yard line. Panthers gained control of the ball when freshman running back #5, Akylin Dear, pushed the ball to the Panther 18 yard line. Freshman quarterback #16, Jaliel Cameron, kicked the ball to the Panther 49 yardline.
In the second quarter of the game, junior running back #21, Markerius Harrison, ran the ball to the endzone for a Touchdown. Panthers then attempted a two point conversion where the play was no good. The score was then Panthers 12 - Tigers 14. Tigers kicked the ball, pushing the Panthers back to the Panther 35 yardline. Senior wide receiver #4, William Jackson, intercepted a pass at the Panther 49 yardline, which secured a first down for the Panthers. The Panthers then pushed the ball to the Panthers’ 46 yardline. Tigers then ran the ball to the endzone for a touchdown and followed the touchdown with a successful two point conversion. The score was then Panthers 12 - Tigers 22. The victory was short lived for the Tigers as they scored another touchdown followed by a successful two point conversion against the Panthers. The score was then Panthers 12 - Tigers 30.
The Panthers were relentless in the third quarter of the game, as the ball was run back and forth from each side as it entered and left the Panthers’ territory.
The seemingly endless and tiring quarter soon came to an end as in the fourth quarter junior down back #6, Keshawn McDonald, scored a touchdown against the Tigers. The attempted two point conversion failed, leaving the score Panthers 18 - Tigers 30. Freshman running back #5, Akylin Dear, ran the ball to the Tiger 44 yard line before junior down back #6, Keshawn McDonald, scored another touchdown against the Tigers, but the attempted two point conversion had failed. The score was then Panthers 24 - Tigers 30. Freshman quarterback #16, Jaliel Cameron, kicked the ball to the Tigers’ 20 yardline. Senior downback #3, Crishawn McMickle, pushed the ball to the Tigers’ 4 yardline. Before the Panthers could have an opportunity to score, the Panthers lost control of the ball.
The Tigers assured victory against the Panthers as they kicked the ball to the Panther 46 yardline. The final score was Panthers 24 - Tigers 30. The Panthers’ next game will be away at Kemper County as the Panthers face off against the Wildcats.
