The Shadow
On a cool evening at Carl F. Williams Stadium last Friday night, the Bath County Chargers hosted the Page County Panthers.
After surrendering 76 points in their first two games of the season, losses to Covington 22-0, and Buffalo Gap 54-0, the Chargers were looking to not only get in the win column, but also in the scoring column.
The ending result of their home game against the Panthers, was much of the same as they shutout the Chargers 42-0.
The Chargers though did open the game Friday night with an opening defensive stand and forced the Panthers to turn the ball over on downs after Blayton Loudermilk deflected Panthers quarterback Hayden Plum’s pass.
The home crowd and the team were feeling good after stopping the Panthers.
Unfortunately, on the Chargers first drive of the game, the offense went three-and-out and were forced to punt.
The previous defensive stand for the Chargers was short lived and short remembered as the Panthers went on to score on their next five possessions of the game.
The first score of the game for the Panthers second drive when Plum threw a touchdown pass to his tight end, Dylan Hensley. After a made extra point, the Panthers took a 7-0 lead
Then the Panthers took that momentum grabbing first touchdown and converted and recovered a squib kick.
Two plays later, Plum threw his second touchdown of the game.
Plum finished the game with three total touchdowns, two passing and a rushing.
Looking at a 14-point deficit, the Chargers next drive ended in a turnover as Cooper Lowry was intercepted for the second time on the year. Lowry had a pair of interceptions in the loss to the Panthers.
Following the interception, Blake Turpen ran the ball into the endzone for his first of two touchdowns in the game.
After a three-and-out on the Chargers next drive, the Panthers needed only one play again on offense, this time a 70 yard rushing touchdown from Turpen.
The Panthers followed the touchdown with a fake extra point try and successfully converted a two-point try.
After the first quarter, the Chargers trailed 29-0.
Before the end of the first half, Loudermilk did get an interception.
With the ball near midfield, the Chargers grabbed a pair of first downs but turned the ball over on downs.
In the second half, the Panthers scored on the teams first drive, a 46 yard rushing touchdown from their backup running back, Brett Campbell.
The Chargers were down a few players, two coming from the altercation that took place at Covington in the season opener.
The team will look to regroup this Friday when they host East Hardy.
Team Quarter Total Pts
PCHS 29-6-7-0= 42
BCHS 0-0-0-0= 0
