Panther football falls short on chaotic final play

Despite loss, lock up playoff spot

Posted 10/18/22

One final play on Friday nearly allowed the No. 5-ranked Powell Panther football team to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, but the miracle play came up 1 yard short as Powell lost to Jackson …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Panther football falls short on chaotic final play

Despite loss, lock up playoff spot

Posted

One final play on Friday nearly allowed the No. 5-ranked Powell Panther football team to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, but the miracle play came up 1 yard short as Powell lost to Jackson 17-14.

In losing by only three points, however, the Panthers clinched a playoff spot by virtue of being able to win a three-way tie for teams 3-4-5. 

   

JACKSON 17, POWELL 14

Powell (4-4 overall, 2-2 3A West) got things started early, when Jackson (4-4 overall, 2-2 3A West) was stopped on a fake punt at its own 25-yard line.

Two plays later, Jhett Schwahn found Trey Stenerson on a curl route to finish the 24-yard touchdown to give Powell a 6-0 lead after the low-kicked extra point was blocked.

Successive points by both teams gave Jackson the ball back, and a three minute drive was capped off by a five yard touchdown to give the Broncs a 7-6 lead.

More punts gave Jackson the ball back, and a field goal early in the second quarter gave the visitors a 10-6 lead — aided by a 35-yard passing play.

A holding penalty hindered the Panthers next drive, a common theme on a night where the Panthers had seven penalties for 80 yards.

After the setback, disaster struck for Powell.

When punting, Schwahn has been rolling out to his right before he punts the ball. This time, believing he saw a lane, Schwahn took off with the ball but was tackled well short of the first down, giving the ball to Jackson inside the 30-yard line.

The next play Schwahn almost intercepted a pass, but it was ruled an incompletion.

On third and 7, a pass deep up the left side of the field found its target and Jackson extended the lead to 17-6 on a 22-yard touchdown pass.

“It was like we got complacent after we scored,” coach Chase Kistler said. “We were like ‘oh yeah we are still rolling in the drivers’ seat.’ For two quarters it felt like we had no energy.”

Punts and an interception by each team finished the first half, with Jackson holding a 17-6 lead.

Starting out the second half, Powell had its first drive stopped on fourth down.

The woes continued when Jackson converted a third-and-29 play that helped lead to a field goal attempt. Schwahn broke through the line and blocked the kick to give Powell the ball back.

The Panthers drove the ball deep into Jackson territory, but a fumbled snap on fourth and 2 stopped a promising drive for Powell.

“For everything positive it felt like we were going 10 steps forward and 12 steps back,” Kistler said.

Powell got its breakthrough midway through the fourth quarter, when Schwahn hit Nathan Feller for a 29-yard touchdown on fourth and 7.

A pass to Trevon Abraham converted for two points, cutting the lead down to 17-14.

Jackson held onto the ball for nearly the remainder of the game, but four seconds remained on the clock.

Instead of opting to run around for four seconds and throw the ball out of bounds, the Broncs decided to punt the ball.

Powell broke through, and Simon Shoopman blocked the punt.

He scooped up the ball, and raced up the sideline looking for the end zone.

Shoopman was just yards away from winning the game, before he was tackled short of the end zone by 1 yard.

“I told the guys it wasn’t that we fell 1 yard short at the end, it was all the mistakes early on that made us fall short 1 yard at the end,” Kistler said. “We could not have asked for a better scenario. He scooped the ball with no hitch, he is one of our fastest dudes if not fastest on the team. You could not ask for anything better than that scenario but we just did not get to the end zone.”

Jackson escaped with the victory, winning 17-14.

   

POSTSEASON AND FINAL GAME

Despite the loss to Jackson, Powell locked up a playoff spot next week in the quarter finals.

Losing the tiebreaker to Jackson maintains the likelihood of the Panthers being the No. 4 seed heading into the playoffs, but Powell has a chance to have the No. 3 seed.

“We locked it up but that means we are on the road going probably far,” Kistler said. “That is our goal to get to the playoffs and let them make the magic happen… We want to be competing to make a playoff spot every year, I am proud of them for that, but our team knows that we can be better.”

If Powell defeats Cody and Jackson loses to Star Valley, Powell will be the No. 3 seed. If Powell, Jackson and Green River lose then Powell will be the No. 4 seed.

If Powell and Jackson lose while Green River defeats Evanston then there will be a three-way tie for the playoffs.

Each team will have defeated each other, while no teams have a victory over Cody or Star Valley, which are the first two tiebreakers.

After those tiebreakers it goes to point differential which is capped at 12 points. Powell defeated Green River by 12 points, Green River defeated Jackson by 16 points which is capped at 12. Jackson’s defeat of Powell by only three points guarantees that Powell wins the tiebreaker if there is a three-way tie.

That result would put Jackson out of the playoffs because after that tiebreaker is determined it will go to head-to-head between the Broncs and Wolves with the Wolves holding the tiebreaker.

Powell’s final game will be against rival No. 1-ranked Cody (7-0 overall, 4-0 3A West) at home on Friday at 7 p.m.

“We have to see what we have healthwise,” Kistler said. “I had everything planned for Jackson. I have not even looked at Cody. I know they are a good team and the simple things of ball possession, not turning it over and getting off the field on third and long will be key.”

The Broncs come to Powell on a 23-game winning streak, with Kistler knowing it will be a difficult task to handle the two-time defending state champions.

   

JACKSON 17, POWELL 14

Passing Jhett Schwahn 12-31, 201 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions

Rushing Jhett Schwahn 4-21; Case Bradish 8-19; Keona Wisniewski 4-10; Nathan Feller 1 for minus-2

Receiving Trey Stenerson 6-129, 1 touchdown; Nathan Feller 3-48, 1 touchdown; Evan Whitlock 3-24

InterceptionsTrey Stenerson 1

Blocked kicks Simon Shoopman 1, Jhett Schwahn 1

Sacks Jimmy Dees 1, Stetson Davis 1, Lannon Brazelton 1

Comments