FOOTBALL: Late Nashville comeback dooms Panthers
NASHVILLE, IL - Nashville kicker Bujar Hysenaj's 21-yard field goal with 19 seconds left in the game gave the Hornets a 23-22 home victory over Pinckneyville on Friday night as the Panthers coughed up a 9-point lead with just over 10 minutes to play in the contest.
The Panthers have now lost four straight games after starting the season 2-0, and were out-gained in total yardage by a wide margin for the second consecutive week as several key players either sat out or were used sparingly due to injuries. The loss leaves them at 0-3 in the SIRR Mississippi Division and clinging to their playoff lives at 2-4 overall.
Nashville struck first on a 35-yard run by Chris Stern, but the Panthers answered with a touchdown drive of their own, finished off by Chris Mitchell's 5-yard run and Daulton Hubler's extra point to put PCHS on top 7-6 with 2:48 left in the opening quarter.
It was Stern again in the second quarter, scoring from 8 yards out as the Hornets continued to pile up the yards on the ground. Nashville led 13-7 with 10:18 to go in the half, but then went without a score for the next 28 minutes of game clock.
A 7-play, 73-yard drive by the Panthers followed. Hubler, who started under center for injured quarterback Colton Nelson, connected with Justyn Rushing for a 33-yard gain through the air and Mitchell ran it down to the Hornets' eight yard line a play later for a 17-yard rush. Hubler took it up the gut for six on the next play, then put the extra point between the uprights for a 14-13 Panther advantage.
It was the defense's turn to make a play for PCHS early in the fourth quarter and Bobby Monaghan picked up a fumble and ran it in from 55 yards out to seemingly put the Panther in control. Hubler found Chase Lazenby for the two-pointer afterwards and Pinckneyville led 22-13 with 10:03 left in the game.
Stern and Caleb Harper took over for the Hornets on their next drive, which totaled 80 yards and ended on Austin Hagene's one-yard TD with 6:47 to go.
Nashville's defense forced a three-and-out, then took over again with 5:30 to play. The Hornets' rushing attack, which totaled 412 yards on the night, helped set up Hysenaj's field goal attempt after a five-minute plus possession.
Hubler was 6-for-16 passing for 73 yards and rushed for 89 yards on 15 carries to lead PCHS's offense. Rushing hauled in 3 catches for 67 yards, Lazenby 2 grabs for 6 yards.
Mitchell (2 carries, 22 yards), Rushing (3-9) and Lazenby (2-3) also had carries for the Panthers.
Pinckneyville (2-4, 0-3) will host Mississippi Division leader Du Quoin (4-2, 3-0) in week seven on homecoming and senior night.