A football coach’s dream is for his team to play a complete game from the initial whistle to the final horn, and, last week, the Maxwell Panthers did just that.
The Panthers spoiled homecoming in Etna with a 33-12 Cascade Valley League win over the Lions.
On offense, the Panthers are starting to click under coordinator Robert Wilson’s tutelage, having averaged 36 points over their last three contests, and, right out of the gate against Etna, the team showed their prowess, scoring on their first two possessions.
A five-yard run by Berto Lara got Maxwell on the board, before Ignacio Velazquez followed up with a 33-yard burst to give the Panthers a 14-0 lead.
Quarterback Dillon Dry added to the total in the second and third quarters, scoring twice on runs of 11 and four yards, respectively, while Velazquez capped the scoring, taking it in from four yards away for his second touchdown of the night.
Although no statistics were available, according to Davis, Velazquez had another big night, as did Dry, who is running the ball with authority and making great strides in reading defenses.
On the defensive side of the ball, Maxwell was also dominant, successfully implementing new fronts, much to the delight of Davis, holding the Lions in check throughout the game.
“I’m so proud of them,” said Davis. “This group has turned into a bunch of tigers. I knew there would be a transformation, but I didn’t expect the physicality, in particular, to come so quickly.”
With the victory, Maxwell has evened its overall record at 4-4 and stands third in the CVL with a 3-2 mark.
The Panthers return home this week to face the CVL’s second place team, Los Molinos, which boasts a potent offense and is unbeaten in conference play. ■