Another Championship on the Horizon
or...
Parker's Veteran Team Pounces on Panthers on Veteran's Day
by Avery Brovick
Veterans day is a day when we honor those who have fought in the wars for our country, but for Lancer Football team it was also the day that they fought for a piece of the Coastal League title. This match was one that the team had anticipated ever since they walked off that muddy field at Granite Hills. The team felt as if they owed one to the Panthers after they embarrassed them in the playoffs the previous year.
The game started with the Lancers kicking off to the panthers. Horizon tried to jam ball down the lancer defense's throat with a steady diet of Iso and wedge until finally the defense pulled it self together as Kit caused the a fumble and Larry picked it up placing the lancers in the red zone. It was on this drive toward the goal that Gino Gordon got injured and hurt his ankle; he would remain out for the remainder of the game causing Tom Stipanov and Matt Anderson to step up and fill in for him. A hold by Tyler on Gino's run to the three yard line brought the ball back to the 12. After a nice scramble from senior quarterback Johnny Harari and two carries from Zack Pavel the lancers pounded in the opening points of this game. The extra point was brought back on more lancer penalties, and a high snap sent Matt Anderson scrambling, but his pass to Kit was blocked. After kicking off again the lancer defense kept the Panthers form scoring eventually causing them to punt. The lancers dug them selves into a whole with unnecessary penalties to give them a 3 rd and 16, but a very nice Harari-Barmeyer connection down the middle dug them out. The lancers drove the ball down the field on the shoulders of Zach, Tom, and Johnny. In the end Zach pounded the ball in again from the 1. Johnny's 2 point conversion pass to Larry was complete into the back corner of the end zone making the score 14-0 in the Lancers' favor.
The ensuing kick off put the Panthers at the Parker 26 yard line. The Panthers put together a twelve play drive bringing them to their 21 yard line, where they decided to go for it on forth down. The Lancer defense as large and tough as it is stopped them giving the ball to the offense. Johnny and the boys finished out the half bringing the ball to the Panthers 46 yard line.
Coming out of the locker room the boys looked excited and anxious to get the ball back. They got the ball back and took it to the 44 where Mat Zubyk. was forced to punt the ball trapping the Panthers inside their 5 yard line. The panthers took the ball all the way out their 43 yard line where they to were forced to punt placing the Lancers on their 37. On a total of eight caries between Zach and Tom and a five yard catch by Larry the Parker offense moved the ball to 18 yard line. On second and 9 Preston caught an out and ran to get the first down but unfortunately it was called back because the Lancers didn't have enough players on the line. So, now with second and 14 the Lancers go to the air again as Johnny throws a beautiful a ball into the end zone to Preston making the score with Yoder's extra point 21-0.
After Amani's kick the Parker defense caused a fumble on just three short plays. So, the Lancers start their drive at the 25, but the series is plagued with penalties leading to a 4 th and 20 on the 35. Horizon took the ball over on the at their 20 yard line where they drove to their 40. with 3 rd and 10 the Panthers walk out in trips to their sideline, as the Lancers try and work out some confusion on the defensive side, number 19 hikes the ball and hits a seem route up the middle for a touchdown making the score 21-7.
Larry received the kickoff and brought the ball to the 40. Zack and Tom carried the ball down to 22 yard line where Kit made an 11 yard reception on third down bring the Lancers just short of the first down. Parker went for it on fourth down and it paid off for them as Zack ran 11 yards for a touchdown. The point after was good.
Horizon took the ball over on their 29 yard line where Matt Anderson picked of number 19 the first play of the drive. The lancers run the ball for the next six downs and come up short of the first down on fourth. The Lancer defense held the Panthers until the clock ran out and Coach Morrison got an ice bath.
The Lancers share the Coastal League Championship with Santa Fe Christian with a 9-1 record on the season, and clinch the first seed going into the playoffs with that win. While Zack ended the night with 14 caries for 54 yards and 3 touchdowns the true heroes of that night were those that stepped up this game and those in the past to fill in for the injured, Matty A., Stippy, Dicky, Deeker, Ben, the list goes on.
