It's no secret that the Quitman High School Panthers and the Enterprise High School Bulldogs have had a long time rivalry against each other. Throughout the years, the Panthers have gone head to head with the Bulldogs in competitions that left both teams neck and neck with both offensive and defensive teams averaging neck and neck to one another according to the season. Though the Panthers were going to be facing one of their toughest games of the season, nothing could have prepared them for what the game had in store for both of the teams.
And it all started in the first quarter as the Bulldogs kicked off the game with a punt to the Panther’s 45 yard line. As the Panthers pushed the Bulldogs back, the ball fumbled out of the Panthers’ possession and into the Bulldogs’ hands. The Bulldogs’ offensive line pushed to the Panthers’ 14, and in the next play, scored the first touchdown against the Panthers. One successful PAT later and the Bulldogs were 7 points in the lead against the Panthers.
The next play saw the Bulldogs kicking the ball into the Panther 37 yard line. The Panthers pushed the ball to the Bulldog 36 and gained little to no footing against the Bulldogs. Enterprise punted the ball to the Panther 28 yardline, but when the Bulldogs faced the same issue with the Panther’s relentless defensive line, Jaliel Cameron was given no choice but to punt the ball to the 36 yard line and ended the first quarter of the game.
Moving into the second quarter, the Panthers’ defensive line pushed the ball all the way to the Bulldog 2 yard line before the Bulldogs punted the ball back to the 41 yard line. Akylin Dear on the carry for the Panthers, ran the ball to the Bulldog 21 yardline. Jias Davis carried the ball to the 4 yard line then passed the ball to Cameron, who scored the touchdown for the Panthers. With the bad PAT, the score was Panthers 6 - Bulldogs 7. Cameron kicked off to the Bulldog 30 yardline. The Bulldogs continued to push the ball down the field while managing to avoid the heaviest of the Panthers’ defensive line until they scored the final touchdown of the second quarter, and followed it with a bad PAT. The halftime score was Panthers 6 - Bulldogs 13.
As the game moved into the third quarter, Cameron kicked the ball to the Bulldog 24. Enterprise pushed past the Panthers’ defensive line and scored. Panthers 6 - Bulldogs 20. The Bulldogs punted to the 46 yard line in the next play. Jias Davis on the carry, pushed the ball to the Bulldog 37 yard line where he earned a first down. After gaining control of the ball, the Bulldogs pushed the ball to the 38 yard line. Panthers gained control of the ball, and with Cameron on the carry, the Panthers scored a touchdown. With a successful PAT from Davis, the final score of the third quarter was Panthers 13 - Bulldogs 20.
The final quarter of the game the Bulldogs pushed the Panthers back to their end zone and scored the final touchdown. With a successful PAT, the final score was Panthers 13 - Bulldogs 27.
It wasn't only the game that made the fans proud of both teams that night, it was the exceptional level of good sportsmanship shown by both teams. Tough plays were hugged out after a tackle, handshakes were exchanged for plays from both sides, and injured players were checked on by each team’s players. The final act of good sportsmanship ended with the Bulldogs taking a knee at the Panther 12 yard line with one minute on the clock to say, “We can call it good here.” It just goes to show that even when the game is lost, it’s a good game when good sportsmanship is involved!
With that being said, we hope to see you come out to support the Panthers this Friday as Quitman travels to Northeast Jones to face their next competition against the Tigers. See you at 7:30!
