Despite losing senior safety Easton Splane to a dislocated shoulder early in the first, the Panthers managed to force four fumbles and recovered three of them. Two of the recovered fumbles were scooped up by junior Issac Nikolas, Splane’s replacement. 

“(Splane) probably will be ready by next week,” defensive line coach Derek Goble said. “I don’t think he will play, though, because we don’t want to take a chance and we want him back for Maize South.” 

It was the Drew Kemp show on offense despite being pressured and hit a lot more than normal. He rushed for two touchdowns and threw touchdowns to senior John Lujan and junior Rowan Foster.

“I was grateful to be in the position to help out my team,” Kemp said. 

The big setback for the Panthers was the penalties. Every time a player that wasn’t Kemp got in the end zone, there was at least one flag for unsportsmanlike conduct.

It all started after the touchdown by Lujan when he and receiver Daylen Bledsoe did backflips. 

“We’d planned it for the longest time, and Daylen finally gave me the green light today before the game,” Lujan said.

Foster had an incredible catch in the end zone and stood over and had some words for his defender, who he had been going back and forth all night. 

Sophomore Arieus Finley had 18 carries for 195 yards and one touchdown. After which he shushed the crowd for the team’s fourth unsportsmanlike penalty.

Tight end Da’Saahn Brame had three catches for 15 yards and didn’t score for the first time this season. This forced Kemp to rely on his other receivers.

“Yeah, they stepped up big time, man,” Kemp said. “We were slow in the first half but we got the momentum right away in the second half and never looked back.”

The Panthers will play host to Valley Center next Friday in their homecoming game.