Often in high school football a small school plays a much larger school on even terms or better for much of the game but then wears down as the bigger, deeper opponent continues to run fresh bodies on the field. Usually that’s not the case with the Russellville Panthers, however, since they traditionally are quicker, more talented and more fundamentally sound than their opponent.
Friday, the Panthers met their match against a team that was at least their equal in talent and much deeper. And they lost at Rhea Stadium.
Trailing 14-0 midway through the first quarter and still behind going into the fourth quarter, the Logan County Cougars roared back to get the win over the Panthers 28-21. It was Logan’s first win in the Clash of the Cats since 2011.
Winning coach Todd Adler talked about his team’s depth and conditioning being a factor after the game.
“They (the Panthers) were tired, sluggish and cramping in the fourth quarter,” Adler told WRUS Sports. “I felt like we were ready to go another quarter.”
The coveted victory gives the Cougars what is believed to be a school record 4-0 start for their season and their fifth straight win, beginning with a 42-game-losing-streak ender at the end of last season.
Another old adage almost came true and kept the Cougars from ending the losing streak in the Clash. That old saying: “Some teams just don’t know how to win.” During what could have been a tying or winning final drive for the Panthers, the Cougars were charged with three straight penalties. Two of them were 15-yarders, assessed for Logan defenders talking too much after making a good play that could have backed the Panthers out of contention.
Russellville marched over 50 yards on that last drive, but it ended when quarterback Jacob Naylor’s third-down pass landed out of bounds before Cougar safety Dylan Penick tackled Russellville’s leading rusher, Jacolbie Mason, short of the first-down marker in the Red Zone with 22 seconds remaining.
Redemption also played a significant role in the outcome. Talented Cougar receiver Chandler Silvey was headed toward being the goat of the game before he turned it around by catching the winning touchdown pass. In the first quarter he had bounced an on-target pass by quarterback Tyler Ezell not only off his hands but up into the air. The ball came down in the hands of Mason, who returned the interception 80 yards for his second score of the young game. He had run 48 yards on Russellville’s third play of the contest for the home team’s first TD.
After Hunter McDowell’s second successful consecutive conversion kick, the Panthers led 14-0 with just over four minutes gone in the game. It appeared another Russellville rout was raging.
Logan, however, refused to fold.
The Cougars cut the lead in half on a drive that went 80 yards and took almost five minutes, starting the wear and tear on the Panther defense. Ezell completed a 33-yard pass to Anthony Dancer to the RHS 15.
The touchdown followed, with Dontavius Blann and Ezell combining for a 15-yard pass play. Lucas Arevalo’s conversion kick cut the RHS lead to 14-7 with 2:47 remaining in the quarter.
Differences in the kicking game set up the next Panther score. McDowell boomed a 51-yard punt for the Panthers to the LCHS 10. The Cougars couldn’t move the ball, and Ezell had to cover up a fumble to save possession. Then Dancer shanked a 16-yard punt with the Panthers taking over at the Logan 25.
Logan’s defense—led by Zach Yates, Curtis Shelton ad Ethan Steenbergen—was on the verge of keeping the Panthers from taking advantage of the great field position, but Naylor passed to freshman Anthony Woodard near the end zone. Woodard used his athleticism to beat defender Blann for the touchdown. McDowell made it 3 for 3 on conversion kicks.
Russellville led 21-8 with 8:57 remaining in the half. The Panthers, however, scored no more in the final 33 minutes of the game.
The Cougars, however, would add seven more points in the half, and they came on the ensuing possession after Woodard’s catch. Coach Todd Adler’s team marched 70 yards, picking up six first downs along the way. Highlights were runs of 13 and 12 yards by Blann, a 16-yard run by Gary Hardy, and consecutive roughing-the-passer Panther penalties.
On a fourth down play, three Panther defenders converged on Cougar pass catcher Blann, which opened up running room for Ezell. The talented sophomore took the ball in from the seven in the last half minute of the second quarter. Arevalo’s kick was good, and the Panthers went into halftime leading 21-14, even though Logan had totaled 206 yards in offense as compared to the home team’s 98 yards. Mason’s interception return and McDowell’s kicking were the difference.
Although the Cougars dominated time of possession and total offense in the third quarter, no points went on the board for either team during the stanza. That resulted from Blann fumbling inside the Red Zone with Naylor recovering for the Panthers.
The Panthers, however, kept getting players injured. Edward Barber—arguably the team’s most valuable player—was hurt in the third quarter. “That made a difference,” said Adler, complimenting Barber. “That kid can play!”
The Cougars set up their tying touchdown on another drive to end the third quarter. On the first play of the final period, Blann scored on a 17-yard run. Arevalo was good on the kick with 11:47 remaining in the game.
Setting up the winning score were a forced fumble by Yates, a freshman, a double-pitch play that found Kelby Epley catching a 35-yard pass from Penick on a fourth and 11, and a 15-yard run by Hardy. Then Ezell found Silvey on a 5-yard pass for the winning score.
Arevalo kicked his fourth straight extra point. He and McDowell were a perfect seven for seven on the evening.
The Cougars rushed for 236 yards and passed for 125, a total offense of 361 yards. RHS rushed for 86 yards and passed for 40 for 126 yards, just slightly over a third of the Cougars’ total.
Hardy piled up 120 yards on 25 carries while Ezell ran 16 times for 61 yards and Blann 4 times for 39 yards. Ezell was 9 of 16 passing for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Penick was 1 for 1 passing for 34 yards. The Cougars ran a combined 61 rushing-passing plays.
Dancer caught 3 passes for 41 yards, Blann 3 for 34 and Epley 2 for 46.
For Russellville, Mason had 9 carries for 68 yards, Barber 10 for 30, and Javaren Robey 3 for 17. Naylor was 3 of 7 passing for 40 yards with Woodard, Barber and Mason catching one each. The Panthers ran a combined 34 offensive plays.
Steenbergen led Panther defenders with 12 tackles, including 7 solos. Yates and Caden McKinnis had 10 each, Alex Brown 8, Dancer 5, and Nate Woodall, Curtis Shelton and Penick 4 each. Also credited with tackles were Joseph Peterson, Damon Stephens, Jarrett Sears, Carson Bradley, Collier Kempf, Harrison Wilson, Blann and Silvey.
Russellville has not yet released defensive statistics.
Also playing in this memorable win for Logan were Tristan Blake, Dakota Cardwell, Austin Costello, Jordan Crawford, Dylan Goodwin, Maurice Gordon, Caleb McLean, Reggie Powell, Jaden Sells, Colin Sowell, Landon Thomas, and Koby Wall, according to the KHSAA Scoreboard.
In addition to being the Clash of the Cats, this game was also billed as the Linton-Wren Pigskin Kickoff Classic in memory of late Russellville football star players and assistant coaches Buddy Linton and Howard Wren.
Coach Ken Barrett and his 1987 state runner-up Panthers were also honored.
The Cougars (4-0) will entertain McLean County Friday. The Panthers (2-2) will take on Trigg County at Rhea Stadium.