By Travis Chapman
The super moon of October led the way down I-20 to Lincoln Parish where the Glenbrook Apaches would defeat the district foe, Lincoln Prep Panthers by a score of 24-20. The Apaches started on offense and marched the ball down the field with a mixed attack, and on 4th and 5 from Panther 30, The Red Rifle found Action Jackson Waller for a 30-yard TD. The extra point was good and the Apaches took the early lead, 7-0. The Apaches pushed an onside kick where Sonic Seth made an NFL catch on the sideline with both feet in to give the Apaches the ball on the Panther 38-yard line. Sanders found Jackson on a middle WR screen where Action Jackson picked up a quick 17 yards. The Apaches faced a 3rd and 9 where the pass fell incomplete on the 1. The Apaches would go for it on 4th down but a rare dropped pass on the 10 forced a turnover on downs. The Panthers took over on their own 25. The defense stuffed 2 quick runs with Awesome Dawson Day and Huddy Glasscock making a tackle for loss to bring up a long 3rd down to which the ball fell incomplete. The Panthers were forced to punt quickly. The Apaches started on their own 21 yard-line, running it down the Panthers’ throats with Sonic Seth picking up a first down, then took the hand off again and picked up another 18 yards and a first down. The Apaches picked up a first down at the Panther 21 but a false start would back them up 5. Sonic Seth followed the hole and picked up 8 yards. Vicious Vining showed his prowess with nabbing a great ball to nearly pick up the first down. Vining said, FEED ME, and picked up another 5 yards and a first down at the Panther 9. The Panther D stiffened up and forced an Apache FG attempt. Easton Sanders booted it right down Broadway. The Apaches would stretch the lead, 10-0 with 40 ticks left in the first. The Apaches perfectly executed the onside kick again where Sonic Seth beat the Panthers and took possession for the Apaches, yet again at the 39 yard line.
Viscous Vining stayed hungry and blasted forward from a great O-Line push behind Big D, Nolan Still, Franklin Bridwell. Colt Jellum, a 9th grader, came in and showed his toughness as he led blocked for Vining and blew the hole up with his hair on fire. There will be great things to come from him in his high school career. The Apaches nearly picked up a first down on 3rd and 8 but faced a 4th and a long 3 from the Panther 23. The Red Rifle found the solid hands of Darron “The Dime” Hollingsworth to pick up a fresh set of downs. Sonic Seth took it twice to pick up a new set of downs on the Panther 1. Sonic Seth muscled his way thru the hole for an Apache TD. The extra point was good. The Apaches led 17-0 with 7:52 left in the first half. On another perfectly executed onside kick, Huddy Glasscock blew thru the gap and picked up the ball for the Apaches AGAIN! The Apaches took over on the Panther 46 yard line. The Apaches moved the ball with great hands by Action Jackson and Sonic Seth where the Apaches punched it in again The Apaches lead grew to 24-0 at the 6:00 water break in the first half.
Apaches had to kick it deep from an offside, but the Apaches defense looked to stop the Panthers speed. The Apaches defense held strong and forced a 2nd and 35 where CP-10 nearly intercepted the Panthers QB. Nearly 2 INTs from the Apaches defensive backs, in which, Connor Bolton absolutely intercepted the ball, but they called incomplete. The Apaches took over after a Panther punt on the 50 with 4:12 left. The Apaches faced a third and long but 3 straight incompletions forced an Apaches punt.
Big D-Boy, Daivari Jackson got to the QB on the ensuing possession and had a huge sack for a loss. D-Boy continued to eat with another sack in consecutive plays. The Panthers faced a 3rd down and a cab ride and the Panthers were tackled for loss again to bring up a 4th and 40 with 1:18 left in the half. After a bad punt the Apaches would look to score from the Panther 34 with 1:10 remaining. A nearly caught deep ball brought up a 4th down where Easton Sanders NARROWLY missed a 49yard field goal. The Apaches D smothered the Panthers to end the first half with the Apaches in the lead, 24-0.
The Apaches were set to kick off to the Panthers to start the second half. Nearly catching yet another onside kick, the Apaches defense would look to continue to dominate as they started the second half. The Apaches never allowed a single first down in the first half. But a quick WR screen let the Panthers pick up their first new set of downs of the game and a massive gain. On a 3rd and goal, the Panthers found the end zone and converted 2 point conversion, Apaches were up 24-8 with 8:16 left in the third quarter.
Apaches’ offense took the field but a false start on the first play backed them up. But a great run by Sonic Seth picked up a quick 7 yards. The Apaches moved the chains on a great play up the middle. The Apaches backed themselves up on this drive with penalties and was forced to punt. Seth Mangrum unleashed a BOOM of a punt to flip the field of 52 yards.
The Panthers came out and picked up 2 first downs in as many plays. The Panther’s RB continued to gash the Apache defense and on a quick WR screen, the Panthers found the end zone. The Apaches led drop to 10, but still led 24-14 with 4:26 left in the third.
The Apaches’ offense came out with great blocking and Cade Vining blowing up the hole. But a crucial false start on 4th and inches forced an Apache punt. The Panthers would take over on their own 35. The first play from scrimmage and the Panthers RB gashed the Apaches quickly to be in plus territory. The Apaches’ red zone defense looked to stop the blazing Panthers’ rushing attack. The 4th quarter started with a huge sack, but the Panthers would punch it in for another TD. The Apaches defense stopped the 2pt attempt, and the score narrowed to 24-20, Apaches with 11:40 left in the contest.
The Apaches’ offense looked for life in the second half from their own 20. Vining picked up a quick 5 yards. Sanders narrowly missed a wide open Lollar down the sideline that would’ve been a sure TD. The Panthers took over on their own 49. A 50/50 ball put up by the Panther QB had Bolton in the position to make the INT. Everyone in the crowd saw Bolton come down with what should’ve been his second INT of the night, but the officials moved the chains for the Panthers. Outstanding defense from the Apaches forced a 4th and long. After breaking the huddle with 12men for the 4th time on the drive and coming up short, the officials gave the Panther RB an extra 2 yards and moved the chains for a first down. The Apaches’ stout defense would force another 4th and 7. The Apaches defense would make a great stop to turn the ball over on downs!
The Apaches finally found the momentum they needed in the second half. Sonic Seth would pick up 7 followed by Vicious Vining hard nose running would pick up the first down. Vicious Vining and Sonic Seth would keep pounding the ball to move the chains. The Apaches survived the Panthers second half surge to win a tough district game, 24-20! The Apaches have an off week next week where they look to heal injuries and prepare for another district game against the Jonesboro-Hodge Tigers on 11/1 in Jonesboro. Come one, come all to route on your Apaches!
IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE AN APACHE!!
