Isaac Jacobs is off to the races after catching a 68-yard pass from Nyles Barnett, setting up a first-and-goal for the Vikings in the opening quarter. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
By RICKEY CLADRY
Sports Writer
HOHENWALD — The Community Vikings got off to a fast start and took the opening lead and only trailed 7-6 after one quarter, but the Vikings could not stop a Lewis County Panther onslaught in the second quarter as the Panthers put up 43 points and put the game out of reach as Community fell 64-6 in the opening game of the 2024 football season Friday night.
The Vikings could not have asked for a better start after the Panthers took the opening kickoff to start the game.
After Lewis County picked up a first down on its opening possession, the Panthers fumbled the ball and Issac Jacobs recovered to give the Vikings possession at their own 30-yard line.
The Vikings followed on their second play from scrimmage as quarterback Nyles Barnett teamed up with Jacobs for 68 yards, giving Community a first-and-goal at the Panther 4-yard line.
The Viking drive stalled as Community lost nine yards on the next two plays, but on third down from the Panther 13, Barnett found Charles Haskins in the middle of the end zone for a touchdown to give Community the lead.
The run for two failed as Community led 6-0 with 8:35 remaining in the opening quarter.
“My left guard with down on play one with a collarbone injury, so we were trying to find that piece, but Coach Eady was talking about they were trying to hit Isaac on a slant,” Coach Chris Grooms of the Vikings said.
“We know Haskins can find space,” Grooms added. “He’s our go to in the field.”
On the ensuing kickoff, the Vikings kept their momentum with Haskins recovering the kick, giving Community possession at midfield.
“Haskins got the little hop,” Grooms said.
“We had a lot of hats on the ball and got it. It was going our way.”
The Vikings used two Panther offside penalties to gain a first down and moved the ball to the Panther 35-yard line, but two false starts pushed the Vikings back.
The momentum shifted as a Panther interception gave Lewis County the ball at its own 43.
A key third down conversion and a 17-yard run with a Viking penalty tacked on gave the Panthers a first-and-goal at the Community 8.
Braylon Bean followed with an 8-yard run to put Lewis County on the scoreboard. The extra point by Henry Sharp gave the Panthers a 7-6 lead with 3:02 left.
A three-and-out forced the Vikings to punt, giving the Panthers possession as time expired in the quarter with Community trailing by just one.
But with turnovers and mental mistakes plaguing the Vikings in the second quarter, the Panthers went on a scoring spree that Community could not stop.
Lewis County continued its drive from the first quarter, culminating with a 2-yard run by Brycen McDonald that gave the Panthers a 14-6 advantage with 11:12 left.
After the Panthers recovered the ball on the kickoff, Lewis County added to its lead as Bean scored from nine yards out to give the Panthers a 20-6 lead with 9:44 remaining.
With the Vikings failing to pick up a first down the remainder of the half and penalties hurting the Community cause, the Panthers added four touchdowns and took a 50-6 lead to the intermission.
The Panthers added two touchdowns in the second half to end the scoring for the night.
“When you’ve got kids going both ways and we don’t have their subs ready to go, it’s hard to be mentally prepped when you’re out there for 48 straight minutes playing,” Grooms said.
“We knew we were going to have some freshmen playing,” Grooms added. “We trained them and taught them to do the best you can, but when you’re going against a senior and you’re a freshman, sometimes they just outrun you.” Community returns to action with its first home game of the season against Eagleville next Friday night.
Game time is 7 p.m.
Community 6 0 0 0 — 6
Lewis Co. 7 43 7 7 — 64
First Quarter
C — Charles Haskins 13 pass from Nyles Barnett, (2pt. run failed) 8:35.
L — Braylon Bean 8 run, (Henry Sharp kick) 3:02.
Second Quarter
L — Brycen McDonald 2 run, (Sharp kick) 11:12.
L — Bean 9 run, (kick failed) 9:44.
L — Kobe Feichtinger 45 pass from McDonald, (kick failed) 7:27.
L — Bentley Kelsey 2 pass from McDonald, (Bean 2pt. run) 6:34.
L — Dakota Hull 6 pass from McDonald, (Kade Carroll 2pt. pass from McDonald) 2:52.
L — Aiden Wise 21 pass from McDonald (Bean 2pt. run) 0:44.
Third Quarter
L — Carroll 9 pass from McDonald, (Sharp kick) 1:07.
Fourth Quarter
L — Gavin Coker 28 run, (Sharp kick) 6:20.
