Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

From Staff Reports

 

AMERICUS – The Sumter County Panthers (SCHS) came into their Homecoming game against Cook (CHS) on a two-game winning streak and were hoping to increase it to three. However, the Panthers fell behind early and could not recover. As a result, the Hornets went on to defeat the Panthers 40-14.

The Panthers received the ball to start the game and mounted a drive deep into CHS territory, but could not convert on fourth down and turned the ball over to the Hornets.

Neither team could mount a scoring drive until 12.2 seconds left in the first quarter, when the Hornets scored on a punt return for a touchdown. The extra point was good and the Panthers trailed the Hornets 7-0.

Then with 11:30 to go before halftime, SCHS quarterback Anthony Tyson’s pass was picked off by Keshun McKever of CHS, who ran the ball all the way down to the SCHS 10-yard line. Then on second and goal from the nine, running back Tereon Jones scored a rushing touchdown. The extra point was good and the Panthers found themselves trailing CHS 14-0.

However, the Panthers had a response, as Tyson threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Braylon Terry. The extra point was good and the Panthers only trailed 14-7 with eight minutes to go before halftime.

However, the Hornets had a response. With 7:33 to go before halftime, CHS quarterback Drew Folsom threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Kyree Fuller. The extra point was good and the Panthers found themselves down by double digits again 21-7.

Then with 1:42 to go before halftime, the Hornets added to their lead when McKever scored a rushing touchdown from two yards out. CHS tried a two-point conversion, but failed. Nevertheless, however, they had a 27-7 lead over the Panthers at halftime.

At halftime, the Schley County Homecoming Court was introduced. Savannah Battan was crowned the 2023 Sumter County Homecoming Queen and Jalen Wallace was crowned the 2023 Sumter County Homecoming King.

Early in the third quarter, the Hornets picked up where they left off by mounting another scoring drive. The extra point was good and the Panthers were in a deep hole, as they trailed 34-7. CHS would later score another touchdown to take a 40-7 lead by the end of the third quarter.

The Panthers did show some life in the fourth quarter, as Tyson threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Corderian Leverett. The extra point was good, but the Panthers would go on to lose to CHS 40-14.

SCHS (2-3) will try to rebound from this setback when they travel down to Nashville, GA on Friday, October 6, to take on Berrien. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.