The Blanco Panthers completed the regular season by winning their fourth straight game this past Friday night as they defeated the visiting Randolph Ro-Hawks 33 to 7. The win guarantees the Panthers a winning record for the season as they currently stand at 6 and 4. In district play, Blanco finishes in a three way tie for 2nd place with a record of 4 and 2. However, after looking at the tie breaker, Schulenburg had the advantage in positive points and will go into the play-offs as the number 2 seed while the Panthers will go as a 3 seed. Jarrell will round out the district’s play-off teams as the 4 seed.
Although the final score looked like an easy win for the Panthers, it was actually the Ro-Hawks who struck first, scoring on a 5-yard run in the first quarter to grab an early 7 to 0 lead following the PAT. Blanco answered in the second quarter with a 19-yard TD run by Logan Dodd but failed to convert the 2-point conversion and leave the first half score at 7-6 in favor of Randolph.
The third quarter saw the Panthers waste little time driving 47 yards in just 4 plays to take the lead on a 16-yard pass play from McKay Adamson to Levi Windham. Even though Blanco failed on its 2-point conversion attempt, the Panthers led 12-7 at the end of the third quarter.
In the final quarter of play, Blanco put the game away, as Colton Elrod scored first on a 24-yard pass from Adamson before adding a 64-yard TD run on the Panthers’ next possession. Adrian Dominguez added the final score of the night on a 24-yard run. Adamson would pass to Alex Palos for the first successful 2-point conversion attempt of the night for Blanco, only to see another failed conversion attempt following the second touchdown of the quarter. Aikman Elrod added the final point of the night for Blanco with a successful PAT after Dominquez’s TD to make the score 33 to 7.
Offensively, the Panthers picked up 16 first downs and almost 400 yards of offense. Colton Elrod led the way with his second straight 100-yard effort on the ground, picking up 133 yards on 8 carries, while Dominquez and Dodd added 72 and 61 yards respectively. Adamson added an additional 92 yards through the air on 5 completions.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Panthers held Randolph to 14 first downs and just 219 yards in total offense while forcing 2 turnovers, an interception by Carson Kipp and a fumble recovery by Aikman Elrod.
The Panthers will now begin preparations for a first round rematch of last year’s bi-district play-off as they take on 9 and 1 Danbury, who suffered their first defeat of the year last week vs. East Bernard. Kick-off for the bi-district playoff game is set for 7:30 pm at A&M Consolidated.
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