MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Resilience is a trait everyone has, but there are moments when it is truly tested and put into practice.
Saturday, June 13, the Panama City Panthers dug deep and earned a 6-2 win over the Alabama Wardawgs in the APDFL Western Conference Championship.
It was a defensive battle from the opening kickoff, with neither offense able to find consistent rhythm. The Panthers set the tone early when defensive end Marcus Russ recorded a sack and the front seven generated steady pressure on the quarterback.
The first half ended scoreless, highlighted by multiple punts from Panthers punter Devyn Thompkins. The deadlock broke in the second half after a bad snap on the Panthers’ 10-yard line sailed backward and quarterback Eric Mitchell kicked the ball out of the end zone, giving the Wardawgs a 2-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Panthers responded with a decisive drive, starting at the 40-yard line. Fullback Amos Bostick powered ahead on multiple runs to spark the drive. On a critical fourth down, quarterback Dionne Cain connected with running back Jason Lewis on a pass that bounced before being secured by running back Tyliek Mears for a key conversion.
A few plays later, Cain found Lewis for a 10-yard touchdown reception. The Panthers were unable to convert the two-point attempt, but the defense—led by Dontel Baxter, Zay Ross, Terry Sexton, Treysean Prentice, Travis King III, Alex Garrett, Silvio Martinez, Mortagus Gardner, Derrick Williams, and Darrell Truit—sealed the win with a final stop as the Wardawgs failed to reach the end zone in the final four seconds.
The Panthers will host the Columbus Storm at 6 p.m. CST on Saturday, June 27, at Tommy Oliver Stadium.
Adebanji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiBamide1.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Panthers football advances to title game at Tommy Oliver
Reporting by Adebanji Bamidele, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Adebanji Bamidele, Panama City News Herald | USA TODAY Network
