New Lex dominates at home against Philo as Ratliff shines
By: Craig Neal
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NEW LEXINGTON, Ohio (WOUB) – The Philo Electrics (1-0) traveled to Jim Rockwell Stadium in New Lexington, Ohio, to challenge the New Lexington Panthers (1-0) in a week two battle. Both teams came into this game undefeated as Philo was coming off their win against Heath and New Lexington was fresh off beating Fairfield Union. The Panthers would take this duel, 36-14.
The game started off a little slow as both teams were looking to find one another’s weakness.
The first score wouldn’t come until with less than seven minutes left in the first quarter, when Panthers’ quarterback Lane Ratliff heaved it up for Brayson Lee as he would come down with the ball for a Panthers touchdown. The two point conversion after would be successful.
Philo would come roaring back as they would score on their next possession, as Philo running back Slade Sprankle would punch it in from 18 yards out for a touchdown and convert the two-point conversion himself it was 8-8 to end the first quarter.
In the second quarter, it would be all Panthers as, with 11 minutes left in the half, New Lex would start their scoring onslaught with a Ratliff rushing touchdown on the goal line; a missed PAT would make the score 14-8.
Three minutes later, Tanner Toth would intercept a pass from Philo quarterback Audie Buchanan and take it all the way back for a pick-six as he bobbed and weaved between Electrics chasing him. Pushing the Panthers’ lead to 21-8 after a made PAT.
And just before the half would end, New Lex would strike again. Again, it would be Ratliff taking it himself for a massive 26-yard touchdown run to end the half, and after a failed two-point conversion, the Panthers’ lead would be 27-8 to go into halftime.
Coming out of half, things were looking up for the Electrics as they would Sprankle would find the end zone again after a New Lex field goal to make the score 30-14.
But these hopes would be dashed as the Panthers would put the Electrics away with another touchdown to make the final score 36-14 in a dominant showing from the Panthers squad.
Many wondered how the Panthers would fare against this Electrics team after they had lost a sizable portion of their offensive production from last season, but the Panthers answered the call with Ratliff finding different receivers and also getting it done with his legs.
Where Philo fell behind was in the ability to create long sustained drives. With their struggles in the passing game with their young QB Buchanan, they had to rely on Sprankle as they did the week before. However, costly penalties would cut short their momentum early and they couldn’t play catch-up, and the game went on.
After this matchup, the New Lexington Panthers will move to 2-0 in a dominant fashion, whereas the Philo Electrics fall to 1-1 with plenty of season left ahead of them.
The next time the New Lexington Panthers will take the field will be on Sept. 4, as they travel to John Glenn to battle the Little Muskies as they seek to keep their dreams of a perfect season alive.
The Philo Electrics, on the other hand, have a date with the Morgan Raiders in McConnelsville on Sept. 4, as they look to right their wrongs from this game.