Panthers earn first win of season
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by Mark Cheffey
The PHS varsity football team broke into the win column for the first time since 2021, and in a big way, 34-20, at Macon Friday.
The Panther offense got into high gear, and the defense holted the Tiger running game during a flag-filled contest.
Wyatt Augspurg leaves a wake of Macon defenders behind him as he races for a touchdown on a kickoff return for Palmyra’s first score of the game.
It was Palmyra’s first official victory since Oct. 15, 2021, a 28-7 win over South Shelby.
Macon got on the scoreboard first with a 22-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback, Jace Terry, to senior wide receiver, Jonathan Bray, the first of three TD receptions he would have to account for 18 of the team’s 20 points.
But Palmyra responded immediately, when freshman Wyatt Augspurg picked up the ball on the ensuing short kick off, shot past the defenders and raced down the home sideline for the touchdown, and Jeremiah Edwards kicked the first of two successful extra points to give Palmyra a 7-6 lead.
Palmyra’s defense then stepped up at that point to notch five straight stops of the Macon offense stretching into the second half.
During that run, the defense would stuff the Tiger running game to 16 yards on 12 carries which included five for losses.
The dramatic start for Palmyra had Coach Dalton Hill firing up his players including Tyler Zeiger (77).
Wyatt Augspurg scored Palmyra’s second touchdown after catching this pass against Macon.
Meanwhile, the Panther offense started a series of five consecutive possessions, resulting in touchdowns, starting with a 37-yard TD pass from Rylan Compton to Augspurg on the first play of the second quarter to put Palmyra up 13-6.
A punt and a 15-yard penalty, gave the Panthers a short field on their next possession, and they took advantage of it with a five play, 42-yard drive, capped by Compton’s three-yard touchdown plunge for a 20-6 lead midway through the second quarter.
Palmyra then stopped Macon on downs at the Panther 32 with 3:22 left in the half, and used all of it to go up 26-6 on a six-yard pass from Compton to tight end Daniel Dames.
Palmyra running back, Aaron Ritchey, would all but ice the game on the first play of the second half, when he took the handoff, shot through a hole in the line untouched and ran 65 yards for the touchdown that completed the Panther scoring at 34.
Unable to get any traction on the ground, Macon ended up depending on their passing game for their offense.
And, after going to their backup quarterback, freshman Kenny Isaacson, when Terry was ejected from the game in the second quarter, the Tigers scored two more times through the air on passes of 33 and 21 yards to Bray, in a failed comeback.
Daniel Dames (6) cradles the ball as he goes in for a touchdown, signaled by teammate Pierce White (5).
After Ritchey’s touchdown, the Panthers struggled to get their offense going again, getting stopped on their next three possessions, two of which were hobbled by penalties.
While the Panthers were able to celebrate a victory, the ragged finish was a reminder to Coach Dalton Hill there is still work to do.
“The first half was great, but it comes down to finishing football games, especially in the second half, doing the basics better and doing things right,” Hill said. “We’re striving for perfection, and trying to be the best team we can possibly be.”
Hill noted the offense has improved after going with Compton at quarterback and moving Ritchey to running back.
“But the biggest thing is getting our offensive line cleaned up,” Hill said. “We’ve still got some things to fix there. If the big boys do their job every time, then we shouldn’t have any issues.
Ritchey ended up rushing 28 times for 161 yards to lead Palmyra, while Compton completed five of nine passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
Palmyra goes back on the road Friday when they travel to Brookfield, 1-3.
The Bulldogs are coming off of a 33-0 loss to Centralia. Their one victory came against Marceline in Week 2.
CCC Standings Week 4
CCC All PF PA
Centralia 2-0 4-0 160 60
Clark Co. 2-0 4-0 158 14
S. Shelby 2-0 4-0 206 24
Monroe City 1-1 3-1 112 123
Palmyra 1-1 1-3 72 145
Highland 0-2 2-2 68 96
Brookfield 0-2 1-3 38 120
Macon 0-2 0-4 60 147
Week 4 in the CCC
Palmyra 34, Macon 20
Centralia 33, Brookfield 0
S. Shelby 59, Monroe City 6
Clark Co. 34, Highland 8
Week 5 in the CCC
Palmyra at Brookfield
Centralia at Monroe City
Macon at Highland
S. Shelby at Clark Co.
Class 2 District 7 Standings Week 4
Team Record Points
South Shelby 4-0 51.33
Bowling Green 4-0 53.00
Monroe City 3-1 39.92
Clark County 4-0 48.83
Highland 2-2 27.00
Palmyra 1-3 30.67
Mark Twain 0-4 17.00
Week 4 in Class 2, Dist. 7
Palmyra 34, Macon 20
S. Shelby 59, Monroe City 6
Clark Co. 34, Highland 8
Bowl. Green 72, Van-Far 22
Mont. Co. 42, M. Twain 14
Week 5 in Class 2, Dist. 7
Palmyra at Brookfield
Centralia at Monroe City
Macon at Highland
S. Shelby at Clark Co.
M. Twain at N. Callaway
Bowl. Gr. at Mont. Cc.
2023 PHS Varsity
Football Schedule
8/25 Hallsville L 6-46, 0-1
9/1 Bowl. Gr. L 8-44, 0-2
9/8 Centralia L 24-25, 0-3
9/15 at Macon W 34-20, 1-3
9/22 at Brookfield
9/29 Monroe City
10/6 at Clark Co.
10/13 Highland
10/20 at S. Shelby
10/27 District TBA
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