New Lexington dominates West Muskingum
By: Max Earl
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NEW LEXINGTON, Ohio (WOUB) – West Muskingum came into Jim Rockwell Stadium to take on the reigning Muskingum Valley League Small champions, the New Lexington Panthers, in both teams’ first conference game of the season. Last year, this matchup decided the conference champion and ended in a 3-point win for New Lexington. The Panthers won this one as well, but it wasn’t close, running away with it 33-7.
New Lexington would receive the first kickoff, and even though the kick had the team starting back at their own 3-yard line, its offense went to work right away. A few quick screen passes thrown by Panthers QB Lane Ratliff got their offense started on the right foot. RB Paul Stenson got the Panthers on the board with a 60-yard touchdown run right up the middle. A missed 2-point conversion kept the score 6-0 Panthers after the first drive.
West Muskingum has struggled on offense the past two games, putting up only a single score in both. The offense’s struggle continued over into tonight’s game. Their first drive ended in a three-and-out, which was a good indicator of how things would continue for West Muskingum. The Tornadoes would only manage two first downs in the entire first half.
New Lexington would take over, as a bad snap on the West Muskingum punt led to West Muskingum gaining possession near midfield. They would march down the field with quick screens and run up the middle to get them inside the 10-yard line. From 5 yards out, RB Colton Mathias ran it in for the Panthers’ second score of the half, leading 13-0.
Another three-and-out for Muskingum, and the Panthers had yet another chance to score. They stormed down the field, but Ratliff’s throw to the corner of the end zone was intercepted by DB Tavyn Hains. The Tornadoes’ offense got a first down on the ensuing drive but were forced to give the ball back after a failed fourth down conversion.
The Panthers continued to claw down the field again and Stenson would end the drive with his second touchdown of the night from 5 yards out. The next drive, West Muskingum fumbled a backwards pass and New Lexington’s defense was quick to scoop it up. The Panther offense took over at the 36-yard line and RB Tyson Spicer had a 35-yard rush to put the team in scoring position. It was Stenson again who punched it in to complete the hat trick in the first half with a 27-0 lead.
New Lexington would continue to take care of business in the second half, walking away with the 33-7 win. The only West Muskingum score came on a last minute pick-6.
With the win the Panthers continue their undefeated start to their season and move to 4-0. They will go on to face off Tri-Valley next week in hopes of staying undefeated. While West Muskingum falls to 1-3 on the season and will try to snap the losing streak against River View next week.