Klein Oak Panthers vs Cy Woods Wildcats September 10, 2009
Special Teams and Run Defense Excels While Offense Sputters and Pass Defense Sags
The 2009 Klein Oak Freshman Gold Panthers looked ready to play dressed in their all white uniforms for the third game of the season against the Cypress Woods Wildcats at the Cypress Fairbanks stadium on Spring-Cypress close to FM 290. Klein Oak Panther captains Lannon Reindl (#6) and Christopher Claxton (#63) shook hands with three Cypress Woods Wildcat captains at five o’clock under very cloudy skies with “cool” Houston temperatures in the low eighties. The Panthers received the kick off.
What an exiting kick off return! A focused Macen Stevenson (#32) caught the ball at his own twenty-yard line, raced and dodged for more than sixty yards through almost the entire Wildcat team. A Wildcat with just the right angle pushed and tackled him at the ten-yard line. Unfortunately, the momentum turned on the second play from scrimmage when the offense fumbled the ball to the Wildcats. The Panther defense held. A fast strong rush, smothered and pinned the Wildcats behind the line and the Wildcats went three and out. A bungled short punt gave the Panthers great field position around the Wildcat’s forty-yard line. Offensive penalties and mistakes forced the Panthers to a three and out. Following a good Panther defensive stand against the run and a Wildcat fumble recovered by the Panthers, the Panther offense again sputtered with penalties and mistakes and was unable to take advantage of great field position. The first quarter ended with the score of zero to zero.
Following a good Panther punt at the start of the second quarter, the strong Panther run defense stuffed the Wildcats at the line. The Wildcats then took to the air. The Panther defense broke down in coverage possibly due to miscommunication and allowed a ten-yard pass to a wide-open Wildcat in the middle of the field who ran a fast thirty yards for a touchdown. The rest of the second quarter followed the same pattern. The Wildcats focused more on the pass, and moved the ball by completing a few passes for a second touchdown. Typical of the Panther run defense, they stuffed the two-point conversion at the line. For the rest of the quarter, the Panther’s offense continued to miscue on ball transfer and commit penalties. There was some inspired play. Miquel Fonseca (#85) sacked the Wildcat quarterback for a five-yard loss. Macen Stevenson (#32) had a good twelve-yard run. The Wildcats intercepted and returned for little gain the Panther’s last second pass close to the Wildcat’s end zone to end the second quarter. The second quarter and first half ended with the score of Wildcats twelve (12) and Panthers zero (0).
The third quarter started with a good Panther kick off and a twenty-five yard Wildcat return. After four passes, a Wildcat caught a five-yard pass and streaked thirty-five yards for another touchdown. Once again, the Panther run defense stuffed the two-point conversion. On the next Panther possession, the offense worked hard. The Panthers had the ball for seven minutes. The Panthers completed some nice quick passes to Harrison Reese (#13) and had some good runs by both Macen Stevenson (#32) and Justin Blackbourn (#8). The Panther drive stalled on the Wildcat’s twenty-yard line. Three offensive plays from the twenty-yard line using an unusual spread formation reminiscent of the Swinging Gate, with three or four players in the middle of the field with the ball and the remaining players spread wide left, failed to deliver points. The Panthers turned the ball over on downs, but made a good stop to end the quarter. The third quarter ended with the score of Wildcats eighteen (18) and Panthers zero (0).
The Panthers got the ball to start the fourth quarter and they seemed to find some good rhythm. Led by Danny Lowers (#15) and Stevenson (#32), the Panthers moved the ball to the Wildcats three-yard line. Lowers (#15) ran it three yards for the Panthers first touchdown. The Panthers picked up the two-point conversion and the score with about seven minutes left to play was Wildcats (18) and Panthers eight (8). It took the Wildcats a minute to drive down the field and score another touchdown following a twenty-yard kick off return. The Panther defense intercepted the extra point attempt. Following a turn over on downs by the Panthers, the Wildcats scored again after a big run. Once again, the Panther defense denied the extra point attempt. With less than three minutes left in the game, the Panthers put together a couple of nice runs once again led by Lowers (#15) and Stevenson (#32). Lowers (#15) made a good throw to Blackbourn (#8) for the Panthers second touchdown with about a minute left to go in the game. The game ended with the score of Wildcats (30) and Panthers (14).
While the good guys lost this time, but they stuck with it and didn’t give up. Good running by Stevenson (#32) set the tone for good things to come. His good kick off return forced the Wildcats to kick the ball on the ground thereafter providing some good field position. In the coming weeks, the good guys will surely learn how to take advantage.
