Panthers pull away in second half over Bears, win 35-6

Mon, 09/08/2014 - 3:20pm — Diane Dyer

The Butler County Bears, who easily dismantled the Logan County Cougars in the opening week of high school football, traveled to the other side of Russellville to take on the black and gold, which were also undefeated with wins over Trigg County and Ft. Campbell.
The Bears had a bye week to prepare for Coach John Myers’ Panthers and the game plan was well intact. Coach Emmick and staff shifted away from the hurry-up offense for a more methodical approach, the ground and pound.

Defense was setting the tone for the game early on. Seniors Jake Martin and Peyton Bratcher led the defensive front of the Bears by making some huge stops on the Panthers’ “bread and butter”, the fullback dive to Desmon Quarles.
Senior Caleb Deweese made a nice tackle behind the line of scrimmage for a loss. Another senior, Drake Embry, made a substantial recovery and deflection on a deep pass at the goal line just within the grasp of sophomore wide out Lee McMurry.

After sophomores Dillon Brosnan and Blake Graham came up with superior open field tackles, McMurry, who had all of Russellville’s 111 receiving yards, made a grab to put the Panthers in the red zone. Quarles bulled his way in from eleven out, but the Bears stood strong on the conversion.
Down 6-0 and barely into the second quarter, Rex Henderson broke loose on a quarterback draw good for 49 yards and set up the Bears inside the twenty. Downhill runs by Graham eventually led way for the Bears knotting the score at six. The PAT appeared good from the BC Faithful seats, but the men in stripes signaled no good.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Bears recovered the squib kick, which set up an excellent opportunity at the Panthers’ 40-yard line. Junior fullback John Payton made a strapping run for five, but shortly thereafter, Henderson took a blow resulting in a deep thigh bruise and had to momentarily leave the game.
After Martin punted away from the dangerous Teco Darden, the Panthers put together a drive just before the end of the first half. On a 3rd and 17, McMurry took a slant route for the go-ahead score and Quarles plowed in for the two-point conversion.
With less than three minutes left in the half, Butler County was unable to get anything going. Henderson tried to hookup with Graham on a deep pass, but the throw just barely missed the outstretched arms of Graham.
“I was proud of the way our men came into the game with fight, grit, and determination. If we can get that kind of effort every day, I like our chances the rest of the season,” Coach Emmick asserted.

Russellville’s 14-6 halftime lead ballooned in the second half on what Coach Emmick refers to as those 50/50 plays. Clawing tooth and nail, the Bears fought until the end.
“The team that capitalizes on those three or four plays in a tight ball game usually wins,” Emmick explained.
“We stuck to our game plan and were in the right place offensively and defensively all night, but have to win more of those 50/50 plays to have a chance to win,” he concluded.

The Bears (1-1) will host the Breckinridge County Tigers (0-3) for homecoming this Friday night. Henderson, who continued to play in the Russellville contest, is list as probable, but Peyton Bratcher, who left the game with a pulled hamstring, is questionable.