Lions swamp Panthers as CHS travels to Parsons & brings back a 35-13 Region victory!

The Camden Lions opened Region 7AA play with a 35-13 road victory over the Parsons Riverside Panthers. The misty rain that has been in the area left the field "swamped", but no actual rain falling throughout the game. The 2008 captains, Andy Travis, Will Latendresse, Davie Miller, & Ross Dudley were on the field for the toss; Riverside got it right & took the ball. The kick was a low squib that they were able to down at their 40 & yes, this game WOULD be started by the defense...

A run to the left side was met by Ross Dudley & Andy Travis for a loss of 2. The Panthers right end jumps, move 'em back 5 more. Thomas Pierpoint & Nick Ibarra hold down the left end for no gain, a pass completion in the right flat only gets them back to the 40, & their punter is on the field. In one of the strangest exchanges seen lately, the snap sails over the head of the punter & Andy Travis is after the punter as he picks up the ball. As he tries to send a desperation punt down the right sideline, the ball sails over Andy's head...right to a hard-charging Dakota Summers! He snatches the shanked punt out of the air, tucks it away & scores! Thomas snaps it to Michael Gaskin, Michael has it just right for Danny Kim to boot it thru the uprights & with 9:25 showing on the 1st quarter clock, Camden is up 7-0!

Andy ball hawks the kickoff perfectly, slams the returner down at their 25 & the defense is back on the field. The Panthers string together a first down before Jordan Murphy has a huge QB sack at the 32 yard line & their punt rolls dead at our 37.

Ross Dudley starts it up with a inside run thru traffic, cuts down the right sideline & dives forward just short of the first. The 2nd down pass is incomplete, but Ross slants to the left, thanks Davie Miller & Elias Nazi for dropping some pancake blocks & has the first down at their 43! Panthers jump, 1st & 5. A run up the middle and around right end are both met by a herd of Panthers & there is 2:20 left in the quarter. Michael Gaskin takes the snap from Will Latendresse, delivers the toss the Andy working his way past Panthers & dives for the 1st down at the 29. We jump & the zebras move it the other way, 1st & 15. The Riverside defense stiffens & the 10 play drive ends with a punt...that starts the 2nd quarter. Thomas downs it at their 9 & the Lions defense is looking to deliver one hot tres-unt-vamoose (Lion-speak for 3 & out).

At the snap, Thomas & Larry Jamison slice thru would-be blockers & drop the runner for a loss of one. Jordan & Dakota drill the runner trying the left side, no gain. A run around left end looks like he might get the corner...but Taylor Ryan seals it & their punt is high, short & out of bounds left at their 25!

This is the time when we all do the Black & Gold Short Field Stomp!

Jeremy Crawley takes the quick dive behind the Thomas Pierpoint & Sean Ellis wall, adds a cut & is rolled down at the 19. We jump...just barely, and it's 2nd & 8. Chris Pagal takes it left, but is smothered at the 18 with eight minutes left before the break. Michael to Chris around left end, good run, and he has a 1st down at the 14! Michael does a few card tricks, produces a white rabbit & uses his most excellent sleight-of-hand tricks to sell the fake hand off to the left perfectly. That allows Andy to trot around right end & into the endzone untouched! Danny's kick is perfect & with 7:44 left Camden has a two score advantage!

Danny kicks it down the right side where Blake Riley, Sean Flores, and Devon White fold the runner over at their 32. Riverside is able to string together a 9-play scoring drive that ends with a run just inside the left pylon for the score. There's a short injury timeout for Chris Pagal to shake the cob webs out & a Panther kick makes it a 14-7 game with 3:57 left before the half.

A sudden sleeping sickness strikes the Lions kick return team & the Panthers are able to grab the ball at our 38! They line it up...then call a time out. After discussions, Riverside runs around right end for 3 yards before Nick Ibarra leads the stop. The 2nd down snap is fumbled under center...and Nick is able to come out of the stack with the football, Lions recover at our 35!

With 3:15 showing in the 2nd, the Lions offense is energized! Michael rolls out right looking downfield, tucks it away & sprints for a 1st down at our 47. Andy slants left inside and makes two Panthers miss him in traffic as he drives forward for a first down at the Riverside 38! Less than 120 ticks left as Jeremy Crawley slants in behind Thomas & Sean, drops his head & has the 1st at the 17! Michael's delayed handoff goes to Andy down the right side to the 9, 65 seconds left. A fumbled handoff caused Coach Kevin Ward to call a time out & the Lions have a 3rd & 17 at the 26 with 58 seconds left before the half. The Panthers are all over the double handoff for no gain & we need the 4th & 20 play with 30 seconds remaining.

No problem. Offensive Coordinator William Blow has one stashed back JUST for this.

Gaskin sells the fake handoff into the line giving Andy time to break behind the defenders along the right sideline. The pass is on the money; Andy tucks the ball away & sprints in for the score! Danny's kick is into the parking lot & with less than 14 seconds the Lions are up 21-7.

Michael Gaskin nails the returner at the 41. Nick Ibarra & Brandon Shannon nail the runner at our 45 & the horn says "half time", with Camden up, 21-7.

Both bands perform at half & the "mini-cheerleaders" are dancing to Ice Cream & Cake as Davie Miller reminds the refs that we get the ball to start the half. Brandon Shannon fields the short kick & powers it out to our 47 where the offense will take over. The Lions want to make sure that they take this game on to the house & rev up an 8-play scoring drive. Jeremy Crawley behind Pierpoint for 3. Andy is in motion, secures the pitch & speeds around left end for a first down at the Parsons 42! A fumble moves us back 2, but Devon White bangs into the line between Davie & Elias for a gain of 7, 3rd & 5 at the 37. They jump, striped wonders add 5. Michael gives it to Ross, he convoys behind Davie & Elias PLUS some great down field blocks & the Lions have a first down at the 17 with 9 minutes left in the 3rd. Devon is headed thru the middle & is stopped a foot short of the first. Ross sees a seam open between Dakota Summers & Davies' block, 2nd effort, & he has the score! Danny Kim drills a high spinner thru the sticks & it's a 28-7 game.

Our kick rolls out of bounds & the refs spot the ball at the 20, no wait, the 30, finally the 35 is where the Panther's will start! Riverside can't get a play off & the delay moves them back 5. It goes downhill from there but they are able to down the punt at our 35.

The Lions offense is topped after three running plays & Michael Gaskin has the first CHS punt of the night rolling end over end all the way to the 23.

Riverside grinds out a 17-play scoring drive that stretches over into the 4th quarter. They score around right end, but the low snap on the PAT allows Will Latendresse to nail the kicker & keep the score at 28-13.

Patrick Hassell fields the kick & slides thru the center of the line to the CHS 35. Andy sweeps right end with a herd of blockers in front & has a 1st down at our 46! The drive stalls with a Lions 4th & 4, Riverside doesn't jump on the hard count & we burn a time out to get the punt team on the field. A defender breaks thru & but the partially tipped punt still rolls to the 20.

7:16 left as another Riverside miscue gives us the short field. Jordan Murphy recovers the fumbled hand off at the 20!

Michael Gaskin just missed Dakota Summers in the endzone, 2nd & 10. Andy sweeps right end, but one Panther grabs his toe, 3rd & 9. Ross is pulled down along the left sideline after only 3 & its 4th & 6 at the 16. Gaskin on the give to Andy, Sean Ellis seals the corner & Andy is hit, spins into another Panther & then drives him into the endzone for the score! Kim's kick is good & with 5:30 left, the Lions are up 35-13.

Riverside is able to string together a 9-play drive that ends with Jeremy Crawley intercepting a Parsons pass & running it back to their 29! Michael's form on the "victory knee" looks very good & the Lions have their first Region 6AA win on the road, 35-13!

Some stats of interest:
First Downs: CHS-14; Parsons Riverside 10
Rush/Yards: CHS 36/166; PR 43/138
Passing/Yards: CHS 26; PR 40
Completed/Att/Int: CHS 1/3/0; PR 3/11/1

Fumbles/Lost: CHS 2/0; PR 2/2
Penalties: 6/60; 6/30

Leading Passer: Michael Gaskin -1 of 3 for 26 yards & 1 TD
Leading Rusher: Andy Travis – 11 for 76, 1 TD rush, 1 TD reception

Leading tacklers:
Dakota Summers: 12 total, 1 fumble recovery
Andy Travis: 11 total, 1 for loss, 1 solo
Nick Ibarra: 11 total, 2 solo, 1 caused fumble, 1 fumble recovery

Talking with Lions Head Football Coach Kevin Ward about the road win: "It was good to get the win, I don't think we played very well, played well enough to win & that is the main thing! I thought our kids showed some maturity, playing thru some tough calls & some poor play, but they continued to play & trusted what we were telling them & they kept the effort up. We didn't play as well up front on defense & it kind of snowballed from there. We missed some assignments up front & we will have to fix that. But we are glad to have a road Region win."

On the first score:
"We only had the ball three times in the first half & that limited us! Our special teams scored for the 2nd week in a row & it was a great way for the defense to start! Three years ago, if you remember, they shanked a punt right to Matthew Hudson & he took it in for the score & gave us the lead! Very similar, really, and on the same field!"

On some "bright spots" on offense, even on an "off" night:
"We didn't have as big a night on the offensive side of the ball as we were looking for, but we did find some other ways to score. The punt return team chipped in to get the game started. Even if the offense was struggling some, we didn't have the ball a lot & we still were efficient when we got everything together. The maturity of our team showed getting in & out of the huddle & scoring efficiently just before the half. We have some "big play" kids; we just have to get them into the right positions to be successful. They did a pretty good job of keeping their cool when things went bad. I did notice there was some extra activity after the whistle, punches thrown. There were things going on that I don't condone & hate to be a part of. I do feel the officials could have intervened early & made a difference, but they didn't. We preach to our kids not to get into that activity & just back away, but tonight that still got us a 15 yard penalty. That is frustrating when that kind of thing is going on when you are winning the game anyway."

On Parsons always playing us tough:
"We knew we were going to get their best effort tonight, there was a Region win out there for somebody! We just don't play well down there for some reason, I wish we could have played well, but we have to put this one behind us & get ready for next week. It just seemed like we weren't really into the ballgame, I don't think we were overlooking them. The weather was a factor; it was a very wet track."

On next week's game against Milan at Wright Field:
"Milan has scored 90-something points in two games, we have scored over 70. Both defenses are playing well; they have a good kicking game. The good news is that we are healthy. We have been having early injuries that have plagued us the last few years; maybe we have gotten past that! Our kids are working hard at practice, but we have to look at what is hurting us & what we can take advantage of to get the best result on the field. Milan will be physical, fast, polished, good at every position, bring a large crowd, even a big band! What else is there? They have an outstanding coaching staff that has been together for many, many years & their kids trust & believe what they are telling them. We had a war with them last year & I expect another one here! We will get a good game plan together & then we have to go execute it. If we can do that, we feel like we can make it a competitive game. We need to keep the ball away from them, they have so many jets on offense that can blow a game wide open. Their running backs do a good job for them & they have some good receivers, so you can't really zero in on one back. It's going to take a total team effort this week just to stay on the field with them."

Let's all get to Wright Field early on Friday & get loud as the Lions step out of the Region to play Milan at 7:30 PM. We will need the home field advantage with a lot of Black & Gold fans cheering our team to victory!

GO LIONS!