FOOTBALL: Panthers off and running with 26-8 win over Red Bud
RED BUD, IL - Pinckneyville racked up 236 yards on the ground and junior quarterback Colton Nelson threw for 168 yards - 110 to Ky Hamilton - in the Panthers 26-8 week one victory at Red Bud on Friday night.
Seven Panther backs averaged a combined 5.4 yards per carry on the night, building a 26-0 lead before using a nine minute-plus drive to chew up a good portion of the second half game clock.
"Even though we didn't get any points out of it, it shortened the game," head coach Tod Rushing said of the key possession. "We had some kids in the backfield that hadn't seen a lot of reps and they did a nice job, and our offensive line did a nice job there in the second half."
An interception by Dalton Bathon gave the Panthers a short field for their first possession, and Justyn Rushing's 4-yard touchdown run with 9:55 to go in the first quarter gave PCHS a 6-0 lead.
Two minutes later, the Pinckneyville defense had forced a three-and-out and the Panthers got it back on their own 39-yard line. Hamilton carried on first down for a gain of six, then Nelson kept it for a first down at midfield.
On the next play, the pair connected on a screen pass that Hamilton took the distance for a 50-yard touchdown. Nelson found J. Rushing for the two-pointer and Pinckneyville led 14-0 just five and a half minutes into the game.
A fumble by Hamilton on a punt return handed Red Bud their best scoring opportunity of the first half with 9:58 to go in the second quarter. Despite starting at the PCHS 26-yard line, the Musketeers couldn't gain a yard and turned it over on downs as the Panther defense was up to the task.
Nelson found Daulton Hubler for a 25-yard screen pass that set up another big play for Nelson and Hamilton on the ensuing drive. This time the strike was from 30 yards out, and the Panthers were in command 20-0.
"(Hamilton has) got such big-play capability, he really puts a lot of pressure on the opposing defense," T. Rushing said. "They've got to make sure that they can keep an eye on him, because he's capable from scoring anywhere on the field."
Hubler, who led the Panthers with 59 rushing yards on 14 attempts, did most of his damage on offense in the second half. He also used his leg to pin the Musketeers deep on kickoffs all night, averaging 57.8 yards per attempt.
"People don't realize how big of a weapon it is," T. Rushing said. "That puts a lot of pressure on your offense. It's hard to go eighty yards in a high school football game without something happening."
Pinckneyville pounded out the clock for most of the second half, scoring in the third quarter on an 8-yard touchdown run from J. Rushing, who would leave the game and end up hospitalized with an abdominal injury.
"The doctor's best guess was that it hit him in the pancreas hard enough that it spilled out some enzymes and was causing him some pain," said T. Rushing "He came home (Sunday), he's been released with no restrictions as soon as the soreness is gone. He's day-to-day, we don't know how he'll be this weekend. It was good news, it was just a bruising."
J. Rushing had 41 yards on five carries as well as hauling in three passes from Nelson for 24 yards. Hamilton (3-28 rushing, 3-110 receiving) also left early with what is considered a minor injury.
"I think it showed up in the second half when (Hamilton and Rushing) both got banged up, it changed our style of play," T. Rushing said.
Nelson (5-22), Bathon (2-6), Trent Hicks (7-38) and Chase Lazenby (8-42) also carried the ball for PCHS. Nelson was 7-for-16 passing for 165 yards with no interceptions.
"(Nelson) didn't make any of the big mistakes," T. Rushing said. "I told him just to manage the game and don't beat yourself. You don't have to try to make big plays and beat yourself, just manage the game, and he did a great job."
"He knows he misfired on a couple of passes or his percentage would have been a little better than that. That was maybe a little nerves, but overall I thought he did a good job of being the field general and running the team."
The Panthers (1-0) will play their first game on the new turf at Quillman Field this Friday against West Frankfort (0-1).