Sports
Maysville Comes Closer To First Playoff Birth
< < Back toWith the playoffs quickly approaching, both Philo and Maysville had a lot on the line. It showed in their defensive battle, as the Panthers took the tight home win, 14-12.
The two teams entered Friday night’s game at 7-1 and in good position to make the playoffs with a victory. Philo had the dynamic rushing attack of Zak Sheridan, Nathan Delozier and Kaleb Wiseman, while Maysville’s senior night was lit up by the play of running back Jordan Hayes.
Hayes opened up the Panthers’ scoring early in the first quarter with a one-yard touchdown up the middle. The running back had 19 carries on the night for a team high 109 yards.
The Electrics quickly answered. Delozier’s 37-yard rushing touchdown excited the traveling Philo fans and made a statement early that it wouldn’t be an all-Maysville game.
Hayes’ big game, coupled with some big runs from his teammates, opened up doors for the offense. With 10:12 remaining in the third quarter, Eli Chambers exploited the Electric defense for a 38-yard touchdown run.
The run rejuvenated the Maysville student section, and the Panther sideline regained their momentum from the early first quarter.
The victory didn’t come easy for the Panthers, though. The defense struggled to stop Delozier, who finished with 131 yards on 16 carries on the night. Wiseman and Sheridan also added 62 and 46 rushing yards, respectively.
The running attack often put the Electrics in position to score, but penalties killed Coach Dirk Lincicome’s team.
A field goal put the Electrics within four, and the Panthers found themselves pinned inside their own one-yard line with a long fourth down. To avoid the possibility of a punt block, Maysville elected to take the safety. The safety gave Philo a chance.
The following series, they opened on the 50-yard line with 9:02 remaining in the game. The offense was moving for the Electrics, but two major holding penalties backed the offense up, forcing them to take a 42-yard field goal.
The kick was extremely close, so close that both sides cheered following the play, but the referees signaled no good. Maysville ran out the remaining 4:22.
Philo drops to 7-2 on the season following the loss, but are looking to bounce back next week against first-place Tri-Valley.
Maysville find themselves in great position at 8-1 on the season and second place in the MVL. The win also brings the Panthers one step closer to achieving their first playoff bid in school history.