Off the schneid: Panthers win overtime thriller at Highland

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The PHS varsity football team got off the schneid in more ways than one in earning a 22-14 overtime win at Highland, Friday.

It was not only the team’s first victory of the season, but the Panthers also broke a 10-quarter scoreless streak, and their third-quarter touchdown gave them only their second lead of the season since the first quarter of their Week 4 loss to Macon Sept. 16.

Playing on a wind-chilled night Friday, the Panthers had to overcome a slow start and put together a furious finish for their first victory of 2022.

The Panthers (1-7, 1-5 CCC) trailed 14-8 with six minutes left in regulation and Highland prepared to increase their lead with first and 10 at the Palmyra 21.

But, sophomore defensive back Laden Simmons intercepted a pass in the end zone for a touchback to give Palmyra an opportunity to tie or take the lead.

Starting from their own 20 with 5:49 left, the Panthers went 80 yards on 10 plays and scored on a two-yard touchdown run by Ryan McKeown to tie the game at 14 with 58 seconds left.

Palmyra went for two, but the play failed.

Highland took the  kickoff on their own 29 but had only 43 seconds left to score.

Still, the Cougars managed to drive deep into Palmyra territory and Logsdon threw a pass into the end zone as time expired, but Palmyra’s Aaron Ritchey managed to break it up to prevent Highland from winning on the last play in regulation.

Palmyra won the coin toss and used six plays to go 25 yards and score on another two yard run by McKeown to go up 20-14.

Palmyra’s first two-point try ended before it started on a illegal procedure penalty.

And, it looked like the second try would, too, when the ball was fumbled and rolled around on the ground, before quarterback Trey Smyser picked  it up, evaded a host of defenders and scored, falling backward into the end zone after being grabbed just short of the goal line.

It turned out the extra two points weren’t needed as the Panther defense stepped up to stop the Cougars response at the Palmyra 14 on an incomplete pass.

The Cougars took the opening kickoff and used 10-straight running plays to march from their own 46 to the Palmyra 7, where on first and goal, the capped the drive with a touch down pass from quarterback Brayden Logsdon to Brady Campen.

Highland’s two-point try failed but they had used up over half the first quarter in taking a 6-0 lead.

The Cougars looked poised to up the score after forcing Palmyra to go three and out, taking the punt on their own 32 and driving deep into Palmyra territory where they earned first and goal at the Panther eight.

But, Palmyra, despite committing a fourth-down pass interference penalty, kept the Cougars from scoring and took over the ball on downs at their on seven.

Palmyra managed to put together their first sustained drive, before being stopped on downs at the Highland 39.

Both teams exchanged turnovers, but the Cougars again appeared ready to score before the half, when they took the ball on their own 21 with just under four minutes left and 14 plays to drive to the Palmyra one-yard line.

With nine seconds left, Logsdon kept the ball and tried to break through the Palmyra line which stopped him as time expired.

After turnovers were exchanged to start the second half, Palmyra took the ball on their own 32 and engineered a nine-play drive that finally put the Panthers on the scoreboard when Ritchey took the handoff, ran around the left side and dove into the end zone.

He then converted the two-point run as well to give Palmyra an 8-6 lead.

Highland answered, however, with a seven-play, 59-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Alex Oenning and a two-point pass from Logsdon to Davin Stutsman to go up 14-8 with 1:55 left in the third quarter.

Palmyra ended up being out-gained by Highland, 341 yards to 279, but the Panther running game piled up 243 yards to the Cougars’ 170.

Ritchey led the Palmyra ground game with 124 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, while McKeown collected 80 yards and two touchdowns on 15 attempts.

Smyser added 39 yards on eight carries while completing two of seven passes for 36 yards and an interception.

McKeown also had two pass receptions for 36 yards.

Oenning led Highland with 139 yards on 33 carries, while Logsdon completed nine of 26 passes for 171 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

Campen led the Cougars with nine catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Ritchey and Brett Tuter led the Palmyra defense with seven tackles each and a combined 2.5 for losses. Ritchey also had an interception.

Palmyra will conclude the regular season at home Friday against South Shelby (5-3).

The Cardinals are coming off of a 28-12 loss to Centralia.

Monroe City took sole control of the Clarence Cannon Conference lead at 6-0 with a 32-8 win over Macon, Friday.

A win at home against Clark County this Friday would give the Panthers an undefeated conference title.

Palmyra at Highland

Friday, Oct. 14, 2022

1 2 3 4 OT F

Palmyra 0 0 8 6 8 22

Highland 6 0 8 0 0 14

Scoring

First Quarter

High: Campen 7-yd. TD pass from Br. Logsdon at 5:43, 2-pt. run failed, 0-6

Second Quarter

None

Third Quarter

Pal: Ritchey 7-yd. TD run at 5:55, Ritchey 2-pt.. run, 8-6.

High: Oenning 1-yd. TD run at 1:55, Stutsman 2-pt. pass from Logsdon, 8-14

 Fourth Quarter

Pal: McKeown, 2-yd. TD run at 0:50, 2-pt. run failed, 14-14

Overtime

Pal: McKeown 2-yd. TD run, Smyser 2-pt. run, 22-14.

CCC Standings Week 8

CCC All PF PA

Monroe City 6-0 8-0 354 84

Centralia 5-1 7-1 234 113

Macon 5-1 7-1 281 130

S. Shelby 3-3 5-3 235 191

Brookfield 2-4 3-5 182 275

Clark Co. 2-4 4-4 253 113

Palmyra 1-5 1-7 88 360

Highland 0-6 1-7 126 319

Week 8 in the CCC

Palmyra 22, Highland 14

Brookfield 26, Clark Co. 13

Centralia 28, South Shelby 12

Monroe City 32, Macon 8

Week 9 in the CCC

South Shelby at Palmyra

Highland at Brookfield

Clark County at Monroe City

Centralia at Macon

Class 2 District 7 Standings Week 8

Team Record Points

Bowling Green 8-0 47.80

Centralia 7-1 42.59

Hallsville 4-4 37.68

Clark County 4-4 30.77

Montgomery Co. 2-6 25.05

Palmyra 1-7 17.13

MMA 0-8 13.96

Week 8 in Class 2, Dist. 7

Palmyra 22, Highland 14

Brookfield 26, Clark Co. 13

Centralia 28, South Shelby 12

Blair Oaks 55, Hallsville 0

Crystal City 13, MMA 0 (Forfeit)

N. Callaway 42, Mont. Co. 38

Bowling Green 83, Wright City 7

Week 9 in Class 2, Dist. 7

South Shelby at Palmyra

Highland at Brookfield

Clark County at Monroe City

Centralia at Macon

Hallsville at California

St. Francis Borgia at MMA

S. Callaway at Montgomery Co.

Bowling Green at N. Callaway

2022 PHS Varsity 

Football Schedule

8/26 at Halls.        L, 20-58, 0-1

9/2 at Bowl. Gr.   L 12-71, 0-2

9/9 at Cent.        L 0-35, 0-3

9/16 Macon       L 14-49, 0-4

9/23 Brook.        L 20-48, 0-5

9/30 at Mon. City  L 0-50, 0-6

10/7 Clark Co.     L 0-34, 0-7

10/14 at High.    W 22-14, 1-7

10/21 South Shelby     7 p.m.

10/28 District  TBA      7 p.m.