Eastbrook entered the first game with a lot of questions to answer.  The Panthers returned very few starters from last years team.  The inexperience would show for about two and a half quarters before Eastbrook would mount a comeback to win 28-21.

 

The Panthers started with a lot of excitement.  Jeremy Porter-Jones took the opening kick-off 90 yards for a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead.

 

South Adams would respond to the score with one of thier own.  Nick Teeter would find Cody Meshberger for a 2 yard touchdown to tie the score at 7-7.

 

South Adams would take its first lead of the game in the second quarter.  Trent Moore would rumble 35 yards untouched to put the score 14-7 going into the half. 

 

The Panther special team unit would come out and bury the Starfires deep on the opening kick of the second half only to have Kyle DeArmond take the first play around the end and go 89 yards to the Panther 6 yard line.  Three plays later Teeter found Mark Farris across the back of the endzone and a 14 point lead 21-7.

 

The Panther offense finally found its stride with the next possession.  Eastbrook would go on a 10 play drive covering 81 yards.  Derrick Case would cap the drive with a 1 yard plunge into the endzone.  The extra point would be wide making the score 21-13. 

 

The two teams would exchange punts before South Adams would go on a long drive of thier own.  South Adams would march 96 yards before having to settle for a field goal attempt.  The attempt would go wide giving the Panthers new life.

 

Eastbrook would take the ball 80 yards to tie the score at 21-21.  Derrick Case would get his second score of the night.  Kurtis Brooksher would tie it with the two point conversion.

 

After a night of giving up long plays and missing tackles the Panther defense would rise to the occasion and force South Adams to go three and out. 

 

Eastbrook would need only 3 plays to go up 28-21.  Bryce Marsee hauled in a 41 yard completion from Case to put the Panthers at the 5 yard line.  Brooksher would do the rest scoring his first touchdown of the year to put the Panthers ahead.

 

The defense would seal the win recovering a fumble on the next possession to ice the game.

 

It was a struggle but the Panthers hung in to the end and made just enough plays to pull out the victory.

 

Eastbrook will go on the road next week to play a possible sectional opponent.  Western opened thier season with a 30-6 win over Frankfort.