For one quarter Friday night, the offensive units from West Blocton and Southside could do no wrong. They called every perfect play. They put together explosive plays and sustained drives.
At the end of the quarter, the two had combined to score 41 total points and leave in their wakes shattered defenses who appeared to desperately need a break.
From that point on, each defense for the most part held serve and finished off one of the most physical games either head coach could remember.
“I am proud of my men for standing toe-to-toe with West Blocton tonight,” Southside head coach Lem Jones said following the game. “It was the most physical we’ve played all year and it showed we are capable of competing in a physical game.”
The unfortunate thing for Jones is that his Panthers came up a few yards short of picking up their first win of the season, falling in the end to the Tigers, 28-20. The loss drops the Panthers to 0-3.
“If we continue to improve like we did from last week to this week, we are going to show something,” Jones said. “We’re disappointed but we have to take some pride in knowing how well we did play.”
Even after trailing since the final moments of the first half, the Panthers had their chances to pull even with the Tigers.
Their best chance though came sophomore defensive back James McNeil picked off a West Blocton pass with 6:27 left in the game, giving the Panthers the ball on their own 38-yard line.
Over the next 11 plays, the Panthers inched closer to the end zone, converting on two fourth downs, eventually ending up on the Tiger 10 with just over two minutes left.
Panther Bartavious Hall, who had been harassed by blitzing Tiger defenders all night, took the snap and dropped back to pass only to be met with another rush of defenders. But, instead of his pass falling the hands of a Panther receiver or safely to the ground, it found the chest of Tiger defensive back Josh Toxey who raced up the right sideline to midfield.
On the evening, Hall finished the night with 126 yards passing, including a brilliant 58-yard touchdown strike in the first quarter to Jermal Dudley.
Overall, the Panthers generated 330 yards of offense, including 176 on the ground. The running attack was led by senior tailback Wilbert McConico, who finished the game with 158 yards rushing and two touchdowns.