Panthers can't hold halftime lead in loss to Kilties

The Johnston football team was looking to get in the win column last Friday night against Mount Pleasant before a sparse crowd at Conley Stadium, but the Panthers could not hold on to a 6-point halftime lead, falling to the Kilties by a score of 20-12. The Panthers drop to 0-3 in Division II-A and 0-5 overall, as they continue to search for that elusive first win of the season. Mount Pleasant improves to 1-3 in league play with the victory in a game that could have gone either way.

It was also the second time this year that the Panthers could not hold on to a lead at the half.

Johnston dominated the first half of the game as its defense played its best half of the season. It forced a Mount Pleasant three-and-out to open the game and its offense would capitalize on three Kiltie offside penalties, leading the Panthers to the first score of the game – an 8-yard pass from quarterback Kyle Nelson to Evan Pennacchia at the 7:37 mark of the first quarter.

Johnston’s defense had another solid series when Ty Harriel sacked Kiltie quarterback Eric Palmer to force another punt, which gave the Panthers great field position at the home team’s 40-yard line.

Using a no huddle offense for the second straight series, the Panthers would score again with 37 seconds left in the first quarter on a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Elijah Burgess for a 12-0 Panther lead. Burgess led his team in rushing with 50 yards on 11 carries. The drive was aided by a Kiltie 15-yard late hit penalty. Mount Pleasant would commit over 100 yards in penalty yardage in the contest.

After another Mount Pleasant punt, Johnston drove down to the opponent’s 35-yard line, and on a fourth-and-5 would lose 10 yards on a Nelson to Burgess ill-fated screen pass. The defensive stop gave the Kilties momentum, as Palmer drove his team down the field and hit Dontay McNeil for a 13-yard score to cut the Panther lead to 12-6 with 1:06 left to play in the first half. Nelson was determined to get that score back, but his long pass was intercepted by Reuben Howard to close out the first half.

The Kilties tried to surprise Johnston with an onside kick to open the second half, but were not successful. The Panthers would have good field position at midfield, but could not take advantage of it as Nelson was intercepted in the end zone by McNeil.

Johnston’s defense stayed tough, as Burgess broke up a Palmer pass to force another Kiltie punt. The Panthers drove to the Mount Pleasant 35-yard line early in the fourth quarter, but failed to convert on a crucial fourth-and-1 that gave Mount Pleasant momentum once again.

Palmer would lead his team downfield once again and tie the game on a 6-yard touchdown pass to McNeil with 6:35 left in the game. Burgess intercepted Palmer's 2-point conversion attempt on a ball that was tipped into his hands to keep the game knotted at 12. A key play came on the ensuing kickoff when the Panthers failed to cover the ball and the Kilties would recover at the Johnston 35-yard line. Palmer hit Demaree Wright for a 30-yard pickup, and Jaobel Celestin gave the Kilties their first lead of the game on a 5-yard touchdown rush at the 5:34 mark of the fourth quarter. Palmer made it an 8-point game as he found McNeil for the 2-point conversion. Playing from behind for the first time in the game, Johnston still had time to tie the game. On a big fourth-and-4, Nelson could have run for the first down, but opted to go deep and was picked off for the third time in the game. Celestin broke loose for a 60-yard gain to the Panther 20 as the Kilties tried to run out the clock, but the Johnston defense held them on downs and gave its offense one last chance to tie the game with 37 seconds left in regulation with no timeouts from its own 30-yard line. The Panthers could not move the ball, as Nelson was called for an intentional grounding penalty and he would later be sacked to end the game as he could not find any receivers open. The Panthers were playing without their No. 1 offensive threat Nassir Vasquez. Johnston looks to rebound this Saturday at 2 p.m. at Polisena Stadium against Pilgrim, 1-2 in the division, in what will be Johnston’s annual homecoming day game. The Patriots lost to Westerly 42-6 last week.