The Southside Panthers resorted to a last-minute touchdown run by quarterback Cedric Brown to turn a tie game into their second victory of the season, a 22-14 win over the Tallassee Tigers.

The Tigers struck first, taking advantage of a fumbled punt reception to put the ball in play just eight yards from the end zone.

Despite the proximity to the goal, it took Tallassee four plays to score against the tough Panther defense.

With 3:43 left in the opening quarter, the visitors led 7-0.

The Panther offense had a chance to shine later in the first half.

Backed up to their own two-yard line due to a clipping call, Southside engineered an impressive 98-yard scoring drive that took 12 plays and consumed five and a half minutes.

Running back Tony Myles, the workhorse of the drive, scored on a six-yard run with 7:39 remaining in the second period.

Myles also added the two-point conversion and Southside led 8-7.

In the final three minutes of play in the first half, Southside again had possession of the ball.

In an exciting race against the clock, the Panthers executed an 81-yard scoring drive, with Eric Williams diving across the goal line as time expired to cap the drive.

At the half, a fired-up Southside squad led Tallassee 14-7.

The Tiger offense, however, proved their worth in the second half by driving 71 yards in eight plays to tie the game with 7:27 remaining in the third.

The touchdown came on a 38-yard pass play down the middle of the field.

The Panther defense, led by Destrian Wells with eight tackles and one sack, three times stopped Tallassee in Panther territory to keep the hope of victory alive.

After stopping a fake punt attempt at the Panther 31, Southside’s offense once again began the final march to paydirt.

With less than four minutes to play in the game, the Panthers were fighting the clock as well as the Tiger defense as they pawed their way down the field.

Converting on a fourth and two, the Panthers held the ball at the Tiger 35 with under a minute to play.

Three plays later, quarterback Brown scrambled away from the pass rush to waltz his way the final 27 yards to the go-ahead touchdown.

Myles iced the game with the two-point conversion to give the Panthers the eight-point victory.

Penalties were numerous during the game, a fact that caught the notice of Panther head coach Christopher Raymond.

A clipping penalty had cost Southside a touchdown in the second quarter.

&uot;We focus so much on doing what is right in running the play,&uot; noted Raymond, &uot;that we make mental mistakes elsewhere.

We have to cut down on penalties.&uot;

Raymond praised the play of his defense.

In addition to Wells, Lloyd Perkins had seven tackles and a sack, and Brian Rankin had eight tackles.

Offensively, Tony Myles rushed for 102 yards on 22 carries.

Eric Williams produced 47 yards on just nine carries.

With the win, Southside moves to 2-4, and more importantly, picks up another region win.

The Panthers host Coosa County next Friday.

Game time is 7:00 p.m.