Falcons shut out Panthers 49-0

Nick Ianniello

Mineral Independent

The Alberton Panthers played a tough game at home Friday night, but they could not manage to best the Twin Bridges Falcons.

“The Falcons are just a phenomenal team,” said Panther’s head coach Jake Giffin.

The Panthers could not manage to push past the Falcon’s defense the entire evening and could not score a single point, despite their best efforts.

Giffin said that their team only lacked the experience to pull the game off and they will be working through their shortcomings in this week’s practices.

The Panthers only have four players with varsity football experience and Giffin said that when the team gets more comfortable on the field and with their plays things will start to look a lot better.

He added that many of their plays were coming together during Friday night’s game but the team just needs more practice running them to make things happen on the field.

“In certain spots we were there but we were just one guy or two guys short from pulling the plays off and making the tackle,” Giffin said.

The Falcons managed to score three touchdowns and make two of their kicks during the first quarter, finishing off the quarter ahead of the Panthers 20 – 0.

The Falcons scored a touchdown and missed their kick early in the second quarter. However, the Panthers did not allow the Falcons another touchdown that quarter and with five minutes left, Panther James Wemple recovered a Falcon fumble at the 5 yard line. Despite the recovery, the Panthers could not push through for another touchdown and they finished off the first half of the game behind 26 – 0.

The Falcons got two touchdowns and a safety within the first three minutes of the third quarter and brought their lead up to 41 – 0 with one missed kick. Fighting hard for a touchdown, the Panthers managed to make it to the 7-yard line with one minute left in the quarter. However, the Falcons’ defense held them in position and the Panthers turned over on the fourth down.

Early in the fourth quarter Shane Foley recovered a fumble on the Panther’s 32-yard line. The Panthers still could not manage to push through to a touchdown for the rest of the game and with more than three minutes left on the clock the Falcons scored another touchdown and completed a two-point conversion to finish the game at 49 – 0.

Next week the Panthers will play the Superior Bobcats in Superior. Giffin said that his defense will be watching game tape of the Bobcats to prepare for their offense and the Panthers offense will be working all week to prepare for the game as well.

“Offensively we just need to tweak everything and make sure everyone knows their responsibilities,” Giffin said.