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FOOTBALL
PC North tops slumping Edmond Santa Fe
Friday night was the fifth football game of the year, but just the first home game for the Putnam City North Panthers.
The Panthers hosted the Edmond Santa Fe Wolves. North was looking for a win to move to 4-1 on the season.
The teams took a series each to fell out the other defenses.
North quarterback Matt Veazey connected on a 23-yard pass to Kevin Cabello, but the drive stalled after that. The Panthers were forced to punt.
North’s next possession came after a short punt by the Wolves.
After a couple of Josh Booker runs and a couple more receptions by Cabello, the Panthers had a first-and-goal from the 9-yard line. Veazey ran two straight quarterback keepers and found the end zone.
Cabello added the PAT - and with 4:16 remaining in the first quarter the Panthers were on top 7-0.
Santa Fe answered on their ensuing possession.
This drive covered 80 yards. The Wolves ran 10 plays - mixing the run and pass attack until the first quarter came to the end.
This is when something happened I have never seen before.
The last play of the first quarter ended with a fourth-and-three from the Panther’s 35-yard line. When the refs flipped the field, they made a mistake and the Wolves had a 4th and 3 from the 30-yard line - in effect giving the Wolves an extra five yards of field position.
Four straight runs by Steve Sumpter ended in a touchdown and a tie score at seven each.
Neither team scored again in the first half, but the last two minutes were very exciting.
Santa Fe returned a punt to the Panther’s 24-yard line and were driving for a score when North forced a fumble, which they recovered their own 6-yard line with only 43 second left in the half.
The Panthers moved the ball all the way to the Wolves 27-yard line where Cabello’s 43-yard field goal fell short to end the first half.
The second half had a lot of action, but very little scoring.
On the Panthers second possession of the half they drove the ball 66 yards for the score of the second half.
Jake Schooley kept this drive alive with a 19-yard reception on a third-and-long play. A few snaps later the Panthers had a second-and-goal from the four when Veazey hit Booker for a touchdown.
The extra point kick gave the Panthers a 14-7 lead with 0:20 left in the third quarter.
Late in the final period the Wolves were driving for the tying score when they had a third-and-goal from the 5-yard line. The Panthers forced a fumble - and recovered the ball to eliminate the threat. Unfortunately for the Panthers on their second play from scrimmage, they fumbled the ball right back.
The Wolves once again had a first-and-goal from the 4-yard line. The Panthers’ defense held tough for four straight plays and kep the Wolves out of the end zone.
The last two possessions for the Wolves ended in turnovers - one on an interception by Dantren Anderson and the other on a fumble turnover.
The Panthers were able to run the clock out and win the game, 14-7.
The Panthers improved their record to 4-1 for the season and 2-0 in the district.
Santa Fe, once thought to be among the elite teams in 6A, fell to 2-3 and 0-2.
- B. W.