Panthers’ come-from-behind win spoils Chiefs’ undefeated season

Sophomore+Melvin+Broomfield+%289%29+and+junior+Luke+Schoolcraft+%2814%29+make+a+tackle+to+stop+the+Chiefs+from+getting+a+first+down+and+extending+their+drive.+

Kathy Gloer

Sophomore Melvin Broomfield (9) and junior Luke Schoolcraft (14) make a tackle to stop the Chiefs from getting a first down and extending their drive.

Dylan Hynson, Senior Writer

When the visiting McIntosh Chiefs arrived at Panther Stadium last Friday night, they had every reason to believe the balance of power in the series between these two long-time rivals had shifted.  Last year, McIntosh handily defeated SMHS 30-13, earning their first-ever victory over the Panthers, and last Friday, the Chiefs ran out to a 20-0 lead midway through the second quarter. Not so fast, my friend. Behind the running of John Smith, the passing of Kyle Moseley, and the sudden dominance of the Starr’s Mill defense, the Panthers roared back with 35 unanswered points on their way to a 42-27 triumph over the Chiefs, who came into the contest sporting a perfect 6-0 record. “We just kept reminding ourselves that we were still in this game,”  Moseley said.  “In the huddle and on the sidelines, I kept telling my teammates to keep fighting and playing hard.” The victory ran Starr’s Mill’s record to 16-1 in the series between the two schools. Moseley completed 15 of 22 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns. The senior quarterback also ran for two scores. Smith, a senior running back, amassed 175 yards rushing and one touchdown on 28 carries. And the Panther defense, after being shredded for 208 yards and three touchdowns on McIntosh’s first three possessions, rallied to force a fumble and two punts on the Chiefs’ first three second-half possessions, giving the Panther offense an opportunity to chip away at the McIntosh lead. Patrick Mullins started the Panther comeback, finishing off an 80-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left in the first half.  After the Panther defense forced a McIntosh fumble on the Chiefs’ first third-quarter possession, the Starr’s Mill offense put together a 16-play, 62-yard drive that took more than six and a half minutes off the clock. Moseley’s 5-yard pass to Terence Harper cut the McIntosh lead to 20-14 with 1:13 left in the third quarter. The Panthers,  now 3-4 on the season, took a lead they would never relinquish early in the fourth period when Harper caught a pass from Moseley and shook off several would-be tacklers on his way to an 83-yard touchdown run.  Moseley made it 28-20 on a 1-yard dive three minutes later and, after the Panthers recovered a McIntosh fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Smith scored the Panthers’ second touchdown in 14 seconds to push the lead to 35-20. Moseley said his team still has a chance to make the playoffs.  “Beating either Northgate or Whitewater would still give us a spot.”  The Panthers will have to do it on the road, however.  Tonight they travel to Northgate for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff .  On Nov. 1, they play at  Whitewater.