PANORA — Visiting Central Decatur and Panorama combined for 89 points and more than 775 yards of offense on over 150 total plays Friday, with the hosts scoring twice in the fourth quarter to salvage a 49-40 Homecoming victory.
After nine touchdowns were scored in the first half — seven in the second quarter alone — the visitors found themselves in a 34-28 hole at the half. Short touchdowns runs of one yard and then two yards in the third quarter helped Central Decatur (0-4) snatch a 40-34 lead after both two-point conversion attempts failed.
Panorama (3-1) had the answer, with Luke South barging across the goal line from four yards away early in the fourth period. Gracen Welberg’s PAT boot moved the Panthers into a 41-40 lead. They were able to salt away the Homecoming triumph when Alejandro Mendez dove in from a yard out later in the frame, with a two-point conversion setting the final score.
The hosts finished with 306 rushing and 167 passing yards on 78 offensive snaps, with their guests rushing for 127 yards and throwing for 180 more on 73 plays. Central Decatur finished with 22 first downs and Panorama with 21, with the Panthers penalized 18 times for 111 yards and the Cardinals 12 times for 103 yards.
South’s six-yard run and a Welberg PAT started the scoring, with a 26-yard TD run from Tyke Walker setting the score at 7-6, in favor of the Panthers, after one frame.
The second quarter was a wild back-and-forth affair with the scoreboard changing seven times.
The Cardinals grabbed a 12-7 lead when Walker hit Cole Pedersen with a 23-yard scoring strike early in the period. Allias Stahl pulled in a 15-yard scoring strike from Mendez, Spencer Hunt scored on a 37-yard sprint and Trey Cobb on a six-yard dash as the Panthers responded to move back in front, 27-12.
Cauy Spidle’s 85-yard touchdown return of the kickoff following the Cobb TD, combined with a two-point run, helped the visitors close their gap to 27-20.
South broke free for a 57-yard TD moments later, with a Welberg kick pushing the score to 34-20, but a final Cardinal score before the half, off a five-yard dive, brought the intermission score to 34-28 as the guests were successful on the two-point conversion.
That set the stage for the two-TD third from the Cardinals and the two-score fourth from the Panthers before time expired.
Mendez was 5-of-7 for 116 yards and a TD passing, with South 3-of-6 for 51 yards through the air.
Stahl (3-47, 1 TD), Cobb (1-47), South (1-41), Zach Rizzuti (1-19), Welberg (1-16) and Jacob Holwegner (1, minus-3) caught passes for the Panthers.
South (18-118, 3 TDs) and Mendez (24-92, 1 TD) led the ground assault, with Hunt (3-63, 1 TD), Cobb (2-21, 1 TD) and Rizzuti (1-12) also contributing.
Walker was 8-16-1 for 113 yards and a TD passing for the Cardinals, with Pedersen 3-of-8 for 67 yards. Walker added 70 yards rushing and one TD on 21 carries, with Pedersen rushing 18 times for 63 yards and two scores to lead the ground game.
Welberg intercepted a Walker pass, and Preston Walker fell on a Cardinal fumble to stifle a pair of drives.
Cobb led the defense with 9.5 tackles, with Trent Hambleton and South each adding 6.5 stops, with each having one tackle for a loss. Dominic Walker contributed six tackles and Hunter Holmes 4.5, including one for a loss of yards and a sack.
South has been especially prolific in his junior season. He has accounted for 12 touchdowns and over 1,000 yards of offense as the Panthers prepare for the start of District 8 action. South had 504 passing yards and five TDs while scoring seven times and gaining 475 yards on the ground to go with 46 receiving yards.
District play begins with a visit from Clarinda Friday. The Cardinals opened their season with a 37-19 win at Shenandoah, but then fell to Red Oak, 28-21, and host Atlantic, 21-20, before suffering a 20-16 loss to Southwest Valley in week four.
