Panthers football coach Brandon Clark might have found his starting quarterback as Derby bounced back from its first loss in 25 games by beating Maize 60-28 in the home opener on Friday.

Sophomore Grant Adler started at quarterback and held the position, playing until the fourth quarter. Adler finished the game with four touchdowns, two in the first quarter, and also kicked extra points and punted.

Junior Hunter Igo, who had shared the quarterback position with Adler through the season’s first two games, didn’t step behind the offensive line. But his presence was felt on defense throughout the game.

The Panthers rolled through the Eagles’ defense in the first quarter with a 21-0 lead. In Derby’s 50-20 loss to Goddard on Sept. 8, the Panthers trailed 22-0 after the opening period.

The halftime score against Maize was 41-15 -- Derby trailed Goddard 43-6 a week earlier.

Senior Brody Kooser had three touchdowns, including two in the second quarter less than a minute apart. One touchdown was a 29-yard run.

Maize scored its first touchdown with a 62-yard run at the 9:41 mark of the second to get within 28-7.

Derby senior Tyler Brown, who transferred from Valley Center, ran 64 yards for his first touchdown.

Maize finished the first half with a 100-yard interception return and the two-point conversion.

Freshman Davin Simms came in as quarterback with 15.3 to go in the third quarter after an interception by junior David Sherman. Simms played the rest of the game.

Simms was accompanied by a JV defense during the fourth quarter.

The last touchdown for the Panthers was from sophomore Aaron Larson, who scored with 7:52 remaining.