The Camden Lions defeated the Parsons Riverside High School Panthers 28-14 in a hard hitting Region 6-AA game played on Wright Field. It was a tale of two halves for the Lions, with Camden waiting until the third period to get the offense cranked up and score two touchdowns.
It was a perfect night for football with just enough “nip-in-the-air” to make a lot of the Black & Gold faithful break out their long sleeved sweatshirts. A lot of Camden fans had stopped by the CHS cafeteria before the game to enjoy the Camden Quarterback Club’s Annual Spaghetti Supper sponsored by E.W James & Sons. Special thanks to E.W. James for their significant donation and to all of the great fans that supported this fundraiser! Josh Beasley and Maurice Gastelum were at midfield to meet the Panthers captains and flip a coin. Josh & Maurice got it right and deferred to the second half, so we kick it away to Riverside. Clay Carruth teed it, banged it high & deep, and history was in the making on a Friday night! Camden last beat Riverside in 1992 by a score of 21-19…
The first defensive series for CHS started at the Panthers 30-yard line, where Heath Yoder, John Hodge, and Josh Boyd combined for the stop on the Riverside returner. The Panthers started an 8-play march down the field than included three first downs and no negative yardage plays. With a first down on our 12-yard line, the tailback started over right tackle & broke thru the line before he was hit hard. The ball popped out, Matthew Chandler scooped it up, dodged to his left, and sprinted 92 yards to score! With 8:11 showing in the first, Heath Yoder snapped, Brian Markham held, and Clay Carruth booted it thru the uprights to give Camden a 7-0 lead!
Riverside started at the 35, and immediately fumbled the snap. As the QB grabbed the ball and started to his right, John Hodge stood him up and Desmond Zollicoffer knocked him down for no gain. Brian Markham pushed a receiver out at the 46, but it was a Panther first down. Hodge and Yoder lead a gang of Lions on a stop on second down for no gain, 3rd & 5. A flag for an illegal shift makes it 4th & long, and Riverside decides to punt. It takes a Wright Field bounce & the Lions offense make their entrance with 5:35 left in the first.
An incomplete pass and smothered running back makes it 3rd & 13. Brian Markham drops back, aims for Maurice Gastelum in the left flat and delivers in stride. Maurice gets to our 48 before he is stopped, first down Lions! Josh Boyd runs behind the block of left tackle Ricky Schopf, slants left before he cuts back for five. Rushes by Byron Boyd and Jesse Leonard result in no gain, and an incomplete pass makes it 4th & 10. Going for it, but a QB sack plus a holding penalty squash the drive and it’s Riverside’s ball at our 36 with 2:01 left in the first quarter.
The Panthers rev up their offense, and it looks like they just might score… Trevor Busby and Chris Turner make a stop, but it’s after a gain of four. Bryce Wilbanks and Heath Yoder combine on a big hit, but it’s a first down. Kyle Moore and Wilbanks team up for a big Panther running back slam, but it’s a pick up of five. Josh Guajardo makes a great solo tackle after a completion, but it’s a Riverside first down at our 43 and the end of the first quarter. A run for five, sweep right end for eight and another first down. The Black & Gold defense has to crank up the heat. 11:20 left til the break and the Panther running back tries the left side, but meets a hammer with Wilbanks and Gastelum swinging hard. He felt that one… Try the middle, this time Busby, Wilbanks, and Guajardo nail him early and the Panthers take a time out with 3rd & 11 to regroup & clear that runners head…
It didn’t work.
The ninth play of the drive started with a hand off headed downfield before the Black & Gold Defensive Night Train delivered a little package. Ball is loose, Heath Yoder makes the scoop and go! Blockers level some Panthers, and Heath makes it to our 44 before he is pushed out. The Lions offense can’t get it rolling and Josh Guajardo punts it high and right three plays later. The Riverside returner attempts to drop back and circle across the field but Heath Yoder, Ryan Prince, and Jeremy Stokes have a better idea and pound him down at the 22 yard line! Great job special teams! An illegal motion penalty moves them back to the 17, 1st & 15. Gastelum is all over the inside trap play and they change it to 1st & 14. A long pass zips down the right sideline, but Matthew Chandler is present and accounted for, 3rd & 14. Hmmmm…let’s see…three receiver’s right, motion right, pitch right, and it could work right--but Maurice Gastelum leads a pack of Lions to stop him after three. Seven minutes til the break, and the punt takes a Wright Field bounce and Camden’s offense is starting at their 44.
The Panther defense makes a huge stand, and three plays later it is 4th & 12 and Guajardo is back on the job. Fielded at the 15, the returner has blockers, but Yoder is on a mission and blows thru with Prince in tow and they make a great stop at the 23! The Panthers run left for seven, then up the middle for a first down at their 36. A quick slant catch has the receiver in our backfield ‘way too quick and Chad Horton hauls him down at our 49, another first down. A big run gets called back for holding and they have a 1st & 25. The Lions defense pins their ears back and get after some ‘cats… 3:10 left in the half sees Jesse Leonard and John Hodge bust thru the line and sack the Riverside QB! 3rd & 28, and a delay of game moves them back s’more! Everyone sees the screen play about to happen so Yoder and Guajardo bang thru the blockers and nail him at the 31! Great stop defense!
They punt it out of bounds at our 36, and the Camden offense puts together a first down on a pass from Brian Markham to Zach Brazzell in the right flat at the 15. No time outs remain, so the offense hustles back to the line and Markham spikes it to stop the clock. 32.7 seconds showing, an incomplete pass and a flag move it the wrong way. Markham throws to Brazzell, but it just misses, 3rd & 15. A QB sack gets Clay Carruth hustlin’ onto the field for a field goal attempt. The Panthers guess right as someone gets a hand on it, no good. The Panthers are ready to talk it over in the lockers, so the QB takes a knee and Camden trots to the field house owning a fragile 7-0 lead.
The Panther band performs, and the CHS Marching Band takes the field with Field Commander Kelly Lambert directing. Their white full dress uniforms look sharp, the music is excellent, and Tyler Warren’s drum solo in the percussion break out brought the Camden fans to their feet! Great job CHS band!
Riverside must have watched the tape of the CHS-Houston County game reel close because they kicked it high and right and short - - away from Josh Boyd and Matthew Chandler. Desmond Zollicoffer is OK with that and sprints to the 39 before he is pushed out! A fired up CHS offense takes the field with a common thought: Score! Markham gives it to Boyd and he sprints over the blocks of Josh Beasley and John Hodge for seven yards. Boyd again, this time Justin Smith drops a Panther and Boyd adds a big cut left and he is gone to their 37-yard line, first down Lions! Boyd again for a one-yard gain, but the rock cracked. 10:22 showing in the 3rd, Markham gives it to Boyd, the offensive line levels everything in front of them, and Josh adds a great fake, cuts right and walks into the endzone for six points! Carruth adds one-point of icing, and it’s Lions 14, Panthers 0 with 10:04 in the 3rd.
The out of bounds monster grabs another one and Riverside starts at the 35. The Lions defense is sky high. Chris Turner and Bryce Wilbanks drop the runner after two. The RHS QB picks up a fumble under center and he decides to try to run…bad decision. Josh Guajardo and Jesse Leonard pop him hard and it’s 3rd & 8. The center is thinking about blocking, and another fumble under center makes it 4th & 9. The Riverside punt is away, and they down it at the 15. Boyd takes the hand off and another big juke in the hole squirts him to the 31, first down! Jesse Leonard follows Hodge’s block for two. Boyd left, cut back, plus four but it’s 3rd & 4 at the 37. Markham gets his foot stepped on and covers the ball, but we have to punt with 5:30 on the clock.
Guajardo’s punt is away and six Lions tag the Panther returner. The ball is rolling loose on Wright Field, but Riverside finds the handle and starts again at the 24. They put together an eight play scoring drive that ends with a pass from our 24. The receiver catches it short of the goal, gets hit hard, the ball is loose, is recovered in the endzone by a Panther and the ref signals a score. With 1:26 left in the 3rd, it’s a 14-7 game.
They kick it high, short and right - -again - - and Zollicoffer makes the fair catch at our 28. The offensive line has had it on preheat and Josh Boyd screams thru a huge hole for ten yards. Boyd gets caught for a loss of two, but with 35 seconds left in the period, Markham rolls right looking down field. Boyd delivers a pancake block on a blindside “would be”, and Markham’s pass settles nicely into the hands of a low flying Jesse Leonard for a first down at our 47! It’s the end of the quarter but not the end of this story…
Markham keeps it, first down at midfield. Two carries by Boyd and the Lions offense has a first down at their 34. Three plays are stuffed by the Panther defense, zebras add a holding penalty and 8:45 is all we have left with a 4th & 26. Guajardo on the field to punt. It’s high enough that the receiver is thinking about getting hit, and the ball is loose. Heath Yoder wants it the most, and it’s a Camden first down at the 16! Mr. Game Clock says 8:00, and Boyd splits the seam that Josh Beasley and John Hodge created, cuts left and scores! Carruth splits the middle, lands it on the Junior High roof, and its 21-7 CHS!
Carruth kicks it high and deep giving Seth Smothers, Byron Boyd, and Maurice Gastelum time to drop him at the 31. Riverside is on the field to mount a drive to get back into this game. Desmond Zollicoffer saves a big run with a solo tackle at our 42. Yoder fills a gap for no gain. A pass into the right flat stretches the receiver out and Josh Guajardo loves ribs. He delivers, all air leaves one Panther and the pass is incomplete…3rd & 10, time out Riverside. Go again, but an illegal procedure flag stops it all, 3rd & 15. Pass is complete, but Yoder and Wilbanks drop him immediately to make it 4th & 6 at the Panther 46. They are going for it. A quick slant pass is caught and Josh Guajardo drops him right in front of the Camden bench. The fans offer their opinion about the terrible spot that the zebras added, but it’s still not enough for the first, Lions ball at our 49!
The scoreboard says 5:39 left in the game and Josh Boyd zips around right end before his feet slide and it’s a pick up of 4. Josh runs thru a huge hole and is in the Riverside backfield untouched. He adds a nice move and makes the 37 with a first down! Another slip and a flag makes it a 1st & 15 at their 42. Josh busts thru right tackle with a move that gets him thru the line quick. Down field blocks help and it’s a Lions first and goal at the eight! Riverside needs a time out. They linger too long and a delay of game penalty moves it to the 4. We try the toss sweep left, but they are able to push Boyd out for no gain. Markham rolls out right, spots Zach Brazzell sprinting across from the left. It’s in the air, Zach cradles it in for a CHS touch down! Carruth drill it home and with 4:04 and 28-7 on the board, the fat lady is warming up!
Carruth sends it deep, and just as the returner gets rolling, Desmond Zollicoffer delivers the hit of the night to drop him at the 29! Lions defense is in prevent mode and they connect for an eight-yard pass play. The second down pass almost belongs to Bryce Wilbanks, but it drops incomplete. It’s Air-Panthers, and the third down pass is complete to the 42, first down. Riverside completes the 13-play scoring drive with a QB sneak, and the kick makes it 28-14 with 1:09 left.
Riverside is desperate, and the big “fake kicker going the other way” play rolls the ball to one of the best hands players we have, and Brian Markham covers it at the 50! Three plays run the clock down to 11.9 seconds before we have to punt. Guajardo’s punt is away and a great kick rolls all the way to the 16! No wait, flag on us for illegal procedure. They reset the clock to Twelve seconds and we go again from the 42? The Lions are able to down this one at the 38 and with 1.5 seconds, they try a pass along the left sideline. Wilbanks is there to knock it down and Camden chalks up a 28-14 victory!
Talking with Head Coach Kevin Ward about the Region 6-AA win: “It was a big win, but really a game of two halves. I don’t think we played well the first half. On defense we did OK, we just didn’t make adjustments that you can’t make from the sidelines, you have to see it on the field and adjust on your own. On offense we were bad during the first half. We challenged the kids to get Josh Boyd 100 yards in the second half and I think he ended up with 160 yards in the second, (214 for the night). It’s really a credit to the kids that they met the challenge, and we played a lot better in the second half.”
On the “other CHS team” that came out of the lockers to start the third period: “We were fortunate that they turned the ball over as many times as they did. They were moving the ball down the field and we just got some breaks. That’s part of the game and defensively we tell our team to make them keep running plays and hopefully they will turn it over. Again, it’s a credit to our kids that we bend a little bit but we haven’t given up any big plays in the last two games. We have got to do that to give ourselves a chance to win.”
On the apparent speed the Lions had late in the game: “They have ten players that are going both ways, so we thought we could out last them late. It didn’t have to be that way, we didn’t pick some blocks up front on offense and we didn’t pick up some stunts on pass protection, all those things we work on Monday thru Thursday. If we had executed in the first half it would have been a different game. I think we did some better in the second half. They made up their minds that if they wanted a chance to go to the playoffs they had to win this game, and they did.”
On the big home crowd: “ We had a big crowd, and they were loud! I heard the policemen turn their sirens on when we came out and that was great! I like the atmosphere playing here at home. We have a lot of people that are helping us behind the scenes, and I have told them how much I appreciate it. That is what will make this program grow. People that will support us even when good things don’t happen and they will stay with us. Our kids will work hard, we have had two good weeks of practice, and hopefully we are getting better at the right time.”
On the upcoming road game stretch: “We are fixing to be Road Warriors, I guess! But that’s fine. Our kids are going to have to be mature enough to win on the road. If we are lucky to make the playoffs, we will probably have to win on the road. We hope to meet that challenge the next four weeks and we know we will be meeting some good teams and hope that we can find a way to win.”
On next week’s game at Bruceton: “Next week is a big game for both teams ust because the two schools are so close, people work together and know each other so well. They are a good football team, (Head Coach) Rod (Sturdivant) does a great job with them, their whole coaching staff does. We are expecting a good football game. We can only work to prepare ourselves and we have been more successful when we have done that well. Our kids realize that now and they are more focused in practice. They don’t want to feel like they did against McKenzie. Our Seniors are stepping up and taking a leadership role, they want to have the best possible year that they can have. That starts on Monday and goes thru Thursday. Good preparation doesn’t guarantee a win, all you are doing is giving yourself a chance. If we can continue to do that, I feel good things will happen.”
On the hard work by the staff & players: “I am fortunate to have the staff that I do, the staff worked hard this week and put in lots of hours. The team is playing their butts off for me, and I know I am fortunate. It’s always good when we win, but even if we were losing, I couldn’t ask for a better group of kids or their work ethic. It is going to pay off in the future and hopefully it will be in the near future.”
Let’s all make the 8-mile drive to Hollow Rock Bruceton Central High School to cheer the Lions on next Friday night!
GO LIONS!
by Tony Dillon and Tim Burrus