Panthers out-race SCA 42-35

by Mark Cheffey

The top-ranked Panthers showed the rest of the state what they were made of with a 42-35 over Summit Christian Academy in Chillicothe Saturday afternoon.

With their scheduled game at South Shelby canceled due to COVID-19, the Panthers went further west down U.S. 36 to play a high-flying Class 3 team from Lee’s Summit, a Kansas City suburb, and answered everything the Eagles could dish out. 

Hayes Miller burned the Eagles on touchdown runs of 80 and 60 yards and also caught a 30-yard touchdown run, while Ross Arch rushed for 154 yards including a 51-yard touchdown that proved to be the kill shot with less than two minutes left in regulation.

Meanwhile, the Panther defense gave up more than 400 yards of offense, but still harassed their quarterback with two sacks and three interceptions while holding the Eagles to 15 first half points.

Panther quarterback Brody Lehenauer got the offense off and running by hitting tight end Abe Haerr for an 11-yard touchdown pass to put Palmyra up 6-0 with 4:40 left in the first quarter.

And Miller got his big day started on the next possession when he broke free for an 80-yard touchdown run less than two minutes later.

The Eagles did not get on the score board until the waning moments of the first quarter, when quarterback Grayson Sprouse threw the first of his three touchdown passes, this one for 16-yard to Lucas Eckles.

But, the Panthers answered midway through the second quarter when Collin Arch intercepted a Sprouse pass and returned it for a touchdown that gave Palmyra a 20-7 lead.

It looked like the Panthers might keep that edge for the half until Eckles broke free for an 80 yard touchdown run with two seconds left to trim the Panther lead to 20-15.

The Eagles took the lead for the only time in the game on the first possession of the first half when Grayson Sprouse hit Lincoln Sprouse for a 64-yard scoring pass for a a 22-20 lead.

Palmyra responded in the fourth quarter with back-to-back touchdowns, the first on a 60-yard run by Miller and the second on a 30-yard pass from Lehenbauer to Miller to go up 35-22.

The Eagles kept the game exciting by scoring on a 30-yard pass from Sprouse to Griffin Kliewer to cut Palmyra’s lead to 35-28 with two minutes left in regulation.

But, Palmyra was all but assured of victory when Ross Arch shot through from midfield to stretch the lead to 42-28 with 1:43 left.

Sprouse hooked up with Kliewer again for a 12-yard touchdown pass, but it was the last gasp with 17 seconds left.

Palmyra out-gained the Eagles 443 to 419 with 365 yards rushing and 78 through the air. Summit had 258 passing yard with 161 on the ground.

Lehenbauer completed four passes but two of them went for touchdowns, and he was picked off once.

Miller lead the rushing attack by slashing the Eagles for 194 yards on 16 carries. Arch rushed for 154 yards on 23 carries.

Zane Meyers led the defense  by intercepting two passes to go along with his team-leading  eight solo tackles. Collin Arch had the pick-six along with 7.5 tackles.

Josh Lickfeld notched a solo sack and shared another with Weston King.

Summit Christian came into the contest with a 5-2 record.

Palmyra at Summit Christian Academy

Friday, Oct. 16, 2020

1 2 3 4 F

SCA 7 8 7 13 35

Palmyra 14 6 0 22 42

Scoring

First Quarter

Pal: Haerr 11-yd. TD pass from Lehenbauer at 4:40, 2-pt. conversion failed, 6-0.

Pal: Miller 80-yd. TD run at 2:56, Smith 2-pt conversion run, 14-0.

SCA: Eckles 16-yd. TD pass from G. Sprouse at 0:24, Madsen kick, 14-7.

Second Quarter

Pal: C. Arch int. ret. for TD at 5:03,  ex. pt. kick no good, 20-7.

SCA: Eckles 80-yd. TD run at 0:02, Sprouse 2-pt. run, 20-15. 

Third Quarter

SCA: L. Sprouse 64 yd. TD pass from G. Sprouse at 11:15, Madsen kick, 20-22. 

Fourth Quarter

Pal: Miller 60-yd. TD run at 8:40, Meyers 2-pt. run, 28-22.

Pal: Miller 30-yd. TD pass from Lehenbauer at 4:29, Smith kick, 35-22.

SCA: Kliewer 30-yd. TD pass from G. Sprouse at 2:02, Eckles 2-pt. pass from G. Sprouse, 35-28.

Pal: R. Arch 51-yd. TD run at 1:43, Smith kick, 42-28.

SCA: Kliewer 12-yd. TD pass from G. Sprouse at 0:17, Madsen kick, 42-25.

CCC Standings Week 8

CCC All PF PA

Centralia 4-0 7-0 224 86

Palmyra 4-0 8-0 260 97

Clark Co. 3-2 3-3 138 106

Monroe City 3-2 7-2 270 150

Macon 2-3 2-4 136 147

Brookfield 1-4 3-4 162 113

Highland 0-3 3-3 165 184

S. Shelby 0-3 0-5 26 211

Week 8 in the CCC

Palmyra 42, SCA 35

Centralia 34, Macon 18

Brookfield 32, Highland 14

Monroe City 42, Herman 32

Monroe City at Clark Co. canceled

Palmyra at S. Shelby canceled

Week 9 in the CCC

Centralia at Palmyra

Clark County at Macon

South Shelby at Brookfield

Highland at Monroe City

Class 2 District 6 Seedings Week 8

Team Record Points

Palmyra 8-0 48.39

Monroe City 6-2 41.45

Bowling Green 5-3 41.62

Clark County 3-3 37.56

Highland 3-3 29.00

Clopton-Elsberry 3-4 26.83

Week 8 in Class 2, Dist. 6

Bowling Green 55, S. Callaway 14

Clopton 19, Paris 14

Week 9 in Class 2, Dist. 6

South Callaway at Bowling Green

Paris at Clopton

2020 PHS Varsity 

Football Schedule

8/28 at CHS             W 38-0, 1-0

9/4 at BG          W 13-0, 2-0

9/11 Halls.        W 51-16, 3-0

9/18 at Brook.    W 24-6, 4-0

9/25 Mon. City W 30-20,5-0

10/2 at C.C.      W 15-14, 6-0

10/9 High.land  W 47-6, 7-0

10/16 at SCA      W 42-35, 8-0

10/23 Centralia           7 p.m.