The Whitharral Panthers had some trouble with the Kress Kangaroos before putting them away with a 60-38 win last Friday in UIL high school six-man football action at Kress.
The outcome didn’t surprise Whitharral Head Football Coach Jeremy Holt
“We knew we would have our hands full with Kress,” he said. “Film showed they were well coached and athletic.”
Holt credited his team’s effort in spite of difficult practice conditions
“The weather conditions this past week made it difficult to prepare for Kress, but the kids found a way to adapt during the game and hold off a very talented team.”
Kress got the ball first, starting on their own 38 yard-line
A six play drive ended with a touchdown and a point after kick for an 8-0 Kress lead just over a minute into the game.
Things didn’t look good for the Panthers on their first drive with Whitharral pinned back on their own three-yard-line
Big runs from Shamadrick Weaver set up a 19 yard touchdown run from Cason Wischkaemper to tie the score after Jack Griffin’s kick with 5:43 left in the first quarter
Neither team could find the end zone again until the Panthers took over with 1:16 left in the first quarter
A three play drive from the 40 ended with a 16 yard run by Brent Robinson and a 16-8 Whitharral lead after Griffin’s kick.
Kress wasn’t done, however. On first and 15 with just 28 seconds, Kress went 48 yards in one play to cut the Whitharral lead to 16-14.
The Panthers were forced to turn the ball over on downs on the next drive, giving the Kangaroos the ball on their own 23.
A 57 yard touchdown on the first play was called back for holding, but Kress scored again three plays later, taking a 20-16 lead with 8:25 left in the quarter
It was the last time the Kangaroos would lead.
The Panthers started on their own 25 yard-line, but dead ball penalties pushed them back to the 15 before the drive started.
Three plays later, Weaver ran 10 yards for a touchdown and a 24-20 Whitharral lead.
Kress was forced to punt on their next drive and the Panthers found themselves on their own 10 yard line.
A nine-yard-run by Weaver set up his next run – 57 yards for a touchdown and a 30- 20 Whitharral lead after the first of Griffin’s only two missed kicks
Kress tried to stay with the Panthers, scoring again at the 3:37 mark, but Whitharral put another eight points on the board on a 47 yard pass from Jeryn Ellard to Weaver with 28 seconds left in the half for a 38-26 Whitharral lead.
The Kangaroos remained in the game, cutting the lead in the third period to 46-38, but Whitharral pulled away, leading 52-38 at the end of the third period on touchdowns by Robinson and Weaver.
The Panthers sealed the Kangaroo’s fate with an 11 yard touchdown run from Kaden Smith with 6:04 left in the game.
Ellard went 4-for-10 for 101 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception
Griffin was intercepted on his only passing attempt and Weaver’s only pass attempt fell incomplete.
Weaver also had 16 carries for 154 yards and three touchdowns
Smith had 14 carries for 88 yards with a touchdown. Robinson went 40 yards on four attempts with a touchdown and Wischkaemper had 35 yards on six attempts with a touchdown.
Weaver was the leading receiver with two catches for 77 yards and a touchdown
Jarett Fryar had a 13 yard catch and Dylin Villegas had an 11 yard snag.
Nomar Gomez led with 8½ tackles followed by Victor Saenz with five. Wischkaemper had four. Rayden Potter and Ryan McDaniel had three each.
Robinson, Weaver and Dawson Rodgers had 2½ tackles apiece. Smith had two and Griffin had one.
Robinson also had a 70 yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Whitharral will be in Silverton on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.