BEAVERS ESCAPE PANTHERS 21-20

RAYLAND, OH- The Beavers overcame a 13 point halftime deficit to defeat the Buckeye Local Panthers 21-20 in a very controversial ending.

The Panthers lead 20-7 at the half, as they controlled the entire first half. They had 2 TD receptions by Hayden Taylor, who also answered the Beavers first score of the game with an 82 kickoff return TD. Something Coach McKenzie said in the locker room at halftime ignited a spark in this team because the Beavers controlled the second half. They forced a Buckeye Local punt to start the half and proceeded to score on a 13 yard TD run by Jacob Kane. Nobody scored until 6:50 left in the game when Jacob Kane ran it in from 1 yard out to tie the game. Then, the accurate leg of Chase Flati knocked the PAT through to give the Beavers the lead. Both teams then punted once, and the Panthers got the ball last with 1:56 to go. They converted a 4th and 10 to get the ball to the Beaver 30 yard line and then spiked it with 4 seconds left, but an illegal shift penalty was called on Buckeye Local. That meant the clock will start when the ball is placed down. The Panthers were still deciding on a play when they realized the clock was running. QB Seth Richardson spiked the ball, but the scoreboard read 0:00. The clock manager that ran the scoreboard read 0.88 seconds more accurately, but even though the PA announcer said it over the speakers, the officials still called it a game.

The Beavers will take their 4-3 record to Indian Creek next Friday. Kickoff at 7:00, pregame at 6:40 on YSN Beaver Local.

*Story was contributed by YSN’s Michael McKenzie