Panthers Move to 3-0

Kerry Rodd – NSO

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Don’t look now, but the South Ridge Panthers are having another solid season and look to be more than just a contender for the Big North Nine-Man football title. The Panthers improved to 3-0 on the season with a 36-6 thrashing of Silver Bay on Friday night on the road in Silver Bay.

The Panthers raced out to a pair of first quarter touchdowns and then cruised to the win. Zach Johnson scored the first touchdown for South Ridge on a one-yard plunge and that was followed by a Reid Clark three-yard touchdown scamper making it 16-0 after Johnson tacked on both two-point conversion attempts.

Silver Bay cut the lead to 16-6 early in the second half on a Hunter Monson to Michael Fischer 15-yard touchdown strike, but the Panthers then steamrolled to three straight scores to build an insurmountable lead. First it was Johnson on a four-yard touchdown run, then it was Dane McClelland on a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown and finally it was Johnson finishing things off with his third touchdown of the night on a seven-yard touchdown run. McClelland also added a two-point conversion run on his interception return.

On the night it was Johnson who carried much of the work load for the Panthers by rushing for 122 yards, scoring three touchdowns and adding in a couple of two-point conversions.

South Ridge is now 3-0 both in conference and overall play, while the Mariners drop to 0-3 in both categories.