They’re a real treat: Panthers reach 4-2
TURBOTVILLE — Much like a kid getting rewarded for cleaning up after themselves, Bloomsburg saw cleaning up its play in the fourth quarter pay off with a win against Warrior Run on Friday.
The Panthers, penalized 13 times for 117 yards, scored three touchdowns on four offensive snaps to pull away with a 28-14 win.
"It's a great team win, especially after losing senior two-way starter Jimmy Lyons [to injury in the second quarter]," Bloomsburg coach Mike Kogut said. "... We're a very resilient group and the kids kept fighting. I'm so proud of our effort."
The Defenders took their only lead of the game when Carter Marr pinned a 24-yard yard pass from Ryan Newton to his helmet in the corner of the end zone.
Newton was tasked with carrying the offense, completing 13 of 31 attempts for 228 yards. The Defenders' run game, meanwhile, was held to 37 yards on 22 carries.
The Panthers, though, didn't take long to respond. On the second snap of their ensuing possession, Liam Zentner hit Nick Wharton in stride for a 52-yard score.
The momentum carried over to the Panthers' defense, with Nasir Kelly, reading the play beautifully and coming away with an interception of Newton.
Out of the Wildcat, Madden Locke needed one play, a 30-yard scramble to give Bloomsburg a 21-14 lead.
The Panthers then forced a three-and-out and set up shop near midfield.
They needed two plays — a 25-yard rush by Blake Zeisloft and a 26-yard Wildcat scramble by Locke — to paydirt.
"We went Wildcat and tried to get the ball in [Locke's] and [Zeisloft's] hands and run downhill a bit," Kogut said. "The kids executed well."
Locke finished with 129 yards rushing and the two scores while the bruising Zeisloft added 65. Locke proved he can do it all, reeling in three receptions for 54 yards and having a pass completion — 12 yards to Kelly.
"I think being down 14-7, we were curious to see how we'd respond, but Liam makes that perfect pass to Nick and gets us right back in there," Kogut said. "Nasir Kelly makes that pick and that momentum comes our way with the ball in [Locke's] hands. That was such a big swing, and we challenged our kids to keep the lead and they responded."
Wharton, coming up with another big play for the Panthers, put the game on ice. Just as the Defenders were driving — with some help from Bloomsburg penalties — the linebacker intercepted Newton in the end zone.
He also accounted for the game's first touchdown, coming away with a 6-yard reception from Zentner in the final minute of the first half. The Defenders pinned the Panthers deep, but Bloomsburg erased 97 yards on 12 plays — 65 on back-to-back plays with Zentner hitting Locke for 25 yards and Jake Fogelsanger for 40.
"That was a huge play for us because we were able to get on the board to end the half," Kogut said. "Credit also to them for coming right back. We knew we were in for a dog fight after seeing what they did last week. They have kids who can make plays.
"They dominated the line of scrimmage in the first half, but I thought we responded in the second half. Penalties just hurt us by keeping their drives going and sometimes stalling ours. I'm so happy for our kids though to be 4-2."
Colby LeBarron capped off an eight-play, 59-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run after Warrior Run's defense forced a three-and-out to start the third quarter for the Defenders' first score.
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