Out of time: Panthers’ rally against Jackson Hole, game clock comes up short

Posted 10/21/14

After cutting leads of nine and 10 points to just three late in the game, PHS was unable to pull off a miracle against visiting Jackson Hole, running out of time and dropping a 30-27 thriller in 3A West Conference action at Panther …

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Out of time: Panthers’ rally against Jackson Hole, game clock comes up short

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Earlier this season, Powell High School interim head coach Chanler Buck spoke on one of the few absolutes in high school football.

“They only give us 12 minutes a quarter,” Buck said after a six-point loss to Riverton in September.On Friday, the Panthers were again left longing for a few more minutes.

After cutting leads of nine and 10 points to just three late in the game, PHS was unable to pull off a miracle against visiting Jackson Hole, running out of time and dropping a 30-27 thriller in 3A West Conference action at Panther Stadium.

“The boys fought hard and they never gave up,” Buck said. “I’m proud of what they accomplished in the second half tonight, fighting back against a tough Jackson team and playing inspired football.”

Unfortunately for the Panthers (5-2, 3-1), one half of inspired football wasn’t enough against the Broncs.

JHHS (6-1, 3-1) pounded PHS with its three-headed rushing attack early and often, accumulating 296 yards on the ground.

Leading the way for the Broncs 6-foot-2, 217-pound junior Theodore Dawson, who carried the ball 20 times for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Dawson established himself quickly, bursting into the open field for 40 yards on JHHS’ sixth play of the game.

Six plays later, he trotted into the end zone and quarterback Brady Anderson added a run for the two-point conversion to make it an 8-0 ballgame with 7:55 left in the first quarter.

“We knew they were going to come out running the ball,” PHS quarterback and middle linebacker Carter Baxter said. “I think we were a little hesitant in the first quarter and it allowed them to move the ball with ease. But once we threw some punches we were able to get a little more comfortable.”

The Panthers responded with an uppercut. Following the Broncs’ touchdown, PHS senior lineman Riley Stringer yelled encouragement to senior wide receiver Kalei Smith to return the JHHS kickoff for a TD.

But Smith didn’t get the chance, as senior halfback Ty Herd did it for him. Herd caught the kick at the Panther 19-yard line and raced through a mass of Broncs and Panthers for a score. PHS opted to try for a tie, but came up short on a two-point conversion run attempt to keep it 8-6.

The two teams then traded punts before JHHS got a huge break.

After Kalei Smith pinned the Broncs at their own half-yard line, a mixture of run and pass carried JHHS to its own 30. Anderson then completed a pass to Gabriel Walls for 42 yards, but at the Panther 28, PHS’ Heston Swenson punched the ball out of Walls’ hands from behind. A Panther attempted to fall on the ball deep in his own territory, but the football squirted into the end zone and the Broncs’ Alex Machupa fell on it for a TD. Another two-point conversion had JHHS ahead 16-6  with 7:23 to go in the first half.

“That’s just football,” Baxter said of the wacky play. “Those things are going to happen and you just half to roll with it and hope you can recover.”

The Panther defense began to corral the Broncs near the end of the second half and into the third quarter, but with the PHS offense moving in on the JHHS end zone on back-to-back drives, Baxter tossed interceptions to stop both opportunities.

The second pick by Tenzing Coburn was returned to the PHS 2, and Mark Ford ran it in for a 22-6 cushion with 1:55 left in the quarter.

“We looked at the score, and we decided that we weren’t going to give up,” Smith said of the Panthers’ two-score deficit. “That’s how we were brought up playing football as kids. We don’t give up ... we’re a family and we fight as a family.”

PHS started its rally on its next series. Starting from their own 43, the Panthers marched to the Broncs’ 18. Early in the drive, Mason Olsen made a crucial 17-yard catch on third down to keep the possession alive, and moments later, Baxter hit TJ Abraham for an 18-yard score. Luccho Maurizi kicked the extra point and it was suddenly 22-13 with 9:59 to play.

A surprise onside kick from Smith stunned JHHS, as Smith recovered the loose ball at the PHS 49. The Panthers’ subsequent drive was stalled, but a faux fake punt by Smith gave Abraham time to get down field and disrupt the Bronc returner, causing a fumble that was recovered by the sophomore at the JHHS 21.

Moments later, Baxter tossed another 18-yard TD pass, this one to Herd, and the Panthers were suddenly within 22-20 with 6:49 left on the clock.

“It felt good to bounce back and give us a chance,” said Baxter, who came on strong after totaling three interceptions before the two TDs. “To keep answering like we did, that says a lot about our football team.”

JHHS answered with a touchdown of its own, marching 80 yards on its next drive to push its lead back to 10. The Broncs ate 4:21 of clock on nine plays — eight rushes — starting with a 53-yard run from Ford. Dawson eventually punched it in from 6 yards out and ran in the two-point conversion for a 30-20 advantage.

But again, PHS refused to go away.

“We practice that play all the time in practice, and we were just waiting for a chance to try it out in a game. When it worked, we were stoked,” Smith said of what followed for the Panthers.

A touchback set PHS up at its 20 on the next drive, and after a failed Baxter pass, the QB handed off to Abraham, who then handed off to Smith on a reverse. Smith then stopped and found a streaking Baxter down the right sideline for an 80-yard touchdown pass.

The extra point made it a three-point contest.

“Kalei gave me a good ball and I just got my hands on it and ran as fast as I could,” Baxter said. “That one felt good.”

But the good feelings didn’t last for the Panthers. PHS couldn’t make good on another onside kick, and JHHS was able to drain the final minutes with its running game to secure the win.

“It feels good to come back and not lay down,” Buck added. “But with a little more consistency, I absolutely believe this game would’ve gone differently.

“When we develop that consistency, we can be the best team in the state.”

The Broncs totaled 404 yards of offense to the Panthers’ 268. Ford picked up 77 yards on 17 touches for JHHS.

For PHS, Baxter completed 10 of 18 passes for 80 yards and the two scores. Herd gained 97 rushing yards on 10 attempts.

A win for PHS would have secured a home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs on Oct. 31, but now the Panthers will attempt to earn a three-way tie with Cody and JHHS by defeating Cody when it visits Powell on Friday.

“The boys need to put tonight behind them and move forward because we have one more big test before the playoffs,” Buck said. “If we can clear our minds and focus on the new task at hand, there’s no reason why we can’t take a step forward and achieve our goals.”

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