Sensing an opportunity to close out McLean County, Daviess County’s Ridge Roberts took five straight handoffs, ending with the sophomore running back bulldozing his way into the endzone from five yards out to ice the game 29-20.
On a night where neither team’s passing game was having much success, it was a battle of the run games, with the Panthers rushing for 202 yards and four touchdowns. Roberts led the ground attack, rushing for 186 yards on 28 attempts and four touchdowns.
“Ridge comes to work every day, and all of the hard work pays off,” Daviess County Head Coach Quadarius Wallace said. “He did a great job tonight, but it was the guys up front who made us go. They dominated the offensive line. Ridge did great, but you have to give credit to the offensive line.”
Known for aggressive tendencies, Wallace had the Panthers start the game with an onsides kick, but McLean County recovered and returned it to the 23. One play later, Riley Walker scampered in for a quick 6-0 lead.
Daviess County responded on their ensuing drive, marching down the field before Roberts ran it in from 10 yards out for a 7-6 lead. Trusting his defense, Wallace called for a second straight onsides kick, but McLean County once again recovered. This time the Panthers’ defense stood tall, forcing a punt.
In the second quarter, Roberts scored his second touchdown of the game, again from 10 yards out to push the lead to 13-6. Less then four minutes later, the Cougars cut the lead to one after Walker broke free down the left sideline for 89 yards. The junior finished the night with 131 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The Panthers took a 16-12 lead into halftime after Asher Hendrix connected from 35 yards. Halfway through the third quarter, Aden Bolden was picked off by the Panthers’ Jaleel Carter and returned into Cougars territory. A few plays later, Roberts rushed for his thrid touchdown of the game.
With the game slipping away and facing a fourth and four, Bolden jumped up at the line of scrimmage and found Weston Hodges for 42 yards. Five plays later, Hunter Stratton broke through from five yards out. After the game, Wallace was complimentary of the Cougars’ fourth down play call, something Head Coach Zach Wagner acknowledged has always been in the team’s back pocket.
“That play has been in our repertoire for 13 years, and we always have it,” McLean County Head Coach Zach Wagner said. “We haven’t run it in a couple of years, and they are a much bigger school and bigger than us, so we knew if we came in with our heavy set, we could get behind the linebackers and get a jump pass on them.”
Trailing by three, the Cougars forced a fumble on the Panthers’ ensuing drive, but were unable to capitalize, throwing an interception a few plays later – setting up Roberts icing the game.
McLean County finished the game with 230 rushing yards on 35 attempts, and their defense held the Panthers to 283 total yards.
“I think we played tough. We had four starters out on our side,” Wagner said. “I am proud of Bolden who played through a temperature and was sick. We were dinged up, and I thought we battled to the end. …Playing the 5A and 6A Daviess County’s is going to help us out in the long run.”
Up next for the Panthers is a district home game against Central Hardin.
