The Shadow
Riding a three-game losing streak, the Page County Panthers (2-4) snapped their losing streak on rainy Friday night by picking up a home non-district victory over the visiting Bath County Chargers (2-3) by the final score of 44-25.
The Chargers who got four total touchdowns from Wyatt Campbell gave the Panthers their best shot and hung in with the Panthers until the very end.
Having led 20-13 heading into the fourth quarter, the Panthers put up 24 points to hold off the Chargers for the victory, including two big fourth quarter rushing touchdowns from Ty Davis.
Hayden Plum who threw two touchdown passes last year against the Chargers, only had one pass (incomplete) in Friday’s game as the Panthers rushed the ball 55 times for 492 yards.
Plum finished the game with four rushing touchdowns, while rushing for 230 yards on 24 carries. Plum had two touchdown runs of over 35 yards with his longest being 56 yards. Meanwhile, Davis, added a game-high 231 yards on the ground along with his two touchdowns runs.
All while the Panthers who had a big game with their rushing attack, they needed every yard they could get.
Led by Campbell’s four touchdown performance, the Chargers had the Panthers number in the first quarter and led 13-6.
The Chargers used the first drive of the game on just five plays in which they went 60 yards to set up Campbell’s first touchdown.
Leading 6-0 (missed extra point), the Panthers answered with a scoring drive of their own as Plum was able to break free for his game-high 56 yard rushing touchdown.
With the score tied following a failed two-point attempt by the Panthers, the Chargers would find themselves quickly back on the scoreboard thanks to Campbell’s second rushing touchdown. The touchdown was set up by a 34 yard pass from Issac Gwin to Kamoy Stone.
The Chargers were scoring at ease on their first two drives of the game.
Then the second quarter came and the Panthers did their thing on defense and held the Chargers in check for the quarter by the shutting them out. Plum would score the quarters only touchdown and would convert the 2pt conversion.
It would be the last time the Chargers led as the Panthers would go onto score 22 unanswered points from the second quarter to the fourth quarter. The Panthers held the Chargers to zero points in the second and third quarters and led 14-13 at halftime.
In what was the biggest drive of the game, the Panthers leading 20-13 in the fourth quarter had the ball on their own 1 yard line following a Charger punt which was downed at the 1 yard line. The Panthers would drive 99 yards down the field, capped off by a Davis 19 yard rushing touchdown. The Panthers would convert their 2pt try to take a 28-13 lead.
Along with his four touchdowns, Campbell finished the game with 164 total yards. Meanwhile, the Chargers other scoring came from Jaden Ryder who had a 1 yard touchdown reception from Campbell.
The loss for the Chargers was the teams second in a row, which puts their record below .500 for the first time this season.
In looking back at last years game between the two schools, what a difference a year makes with this Chargers football team.
It was nearly one year ago that the Chargers were blown out at Carl F. Williams Field by the Panthers 42-0.
The Chargers remain on the road next week for their third straight away game as they play in another non-district game against the East Hardy Cougars in Baker, W.V. The Cougars improved to 4-1 following a 52-6 victory over Pocahontas County on Friday night.
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Friday, September 30th, 2022
Chargers at Panthers
Team Pts/Qtr Total
BCHS 13 0 0 12 25
PCHS 6 8 6 24 44
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SCORING PLAYS:
First Quarter:
Chargers – Campbell 6yd rush (PAT failed), 10:22, 6-0
Panthers – Plum 56yd rush (2pt failed), 9:34, 6-6
Chargers – Campbell 7yd rush (PAT good), 5:22, 13-6
Second Quarter:
Panthers – Plum 18yd rush (2pt conversion), 5:15, 14-13
Third Quarter:
Panthers – Plum 12yd rush (2pt failed), 7:47, 20-13
Fourth Quarter:
Panthers – Davis 19yd rush (2pt conversion), 10:41, 28-13
Chargers – Campbell 1yd rush (2pt failed), 8:03, 28-19
Panthers – Plum 35yd rush (2pt conversion), 6:40, 36-19
Chargers – Ryder 1yd pass from Campbell (2pt failed), 4:03, 36-25
Panthers – Davis 2yd rush (2pt conversion), 2:00, 44-25
