Panthers win goalline standoff
With the ball on Porterville’s 1-yard line and Hanford High School’s football team threatening to score a possible game-winning touchdown on fourth down with 3 minutes and 51 seconds left in the game, the Panthers defensive line wrapped up and drove back Bullpup quarterback Juaron Watts-brown, to hold onto their 1-point lead.
On Hanford’s final drive of the game Porterville sacked Wattsbrown twice to win their homecoming game 8-7 at Jacob Rankin Stadium on Friday.
“It was not pretty but defense was spectacular all night. They really came to play,” said first-year PHS head coach Mike Machado. The win over the CIF Central Section Division II school moves the DIV-IV Panthers to 2-0 on the season. Porterville’s defense played well getting big stops out of their defensive line while their defensive backs broke up multiple passes. After a goal line stand to start the game, the second time Hanford (0-4) got inside the Panthers’ 20-yard line, PHS senior cornerback Christian Wylie intercepted Watts-brown pass in the endzone.
Hanford’s only score came two plays into the second quarter when Watts-brown hit wide receiver Daylon Davis for a 34yard touchdown and the 7-0 lead.
Offensively, Porterville had their struggles and were unable to get inside Hanford’s 20-yard line until late in the second quarter after Wylie’s interception. But finally on the Bullpups’ 10yard line, PHS sophomore quarterback Tanner Jones was picked off. It was Jones’ second and final interception of the night.
After stopping Hanford on Porterville’s 3-yard line for their third goalline stand of the game, the Panthers took the ball 96 yards down field which set up a 1-yard touchdown run by senior Joey Sandoval.
Down one, the Panthers lined up for a PAT but on the snap Jones hit senior wide receiver Oscar Esquivel for a 2-point conversion and the lead.
“We called that 2-point conversion to take the lead there and so I thought that was going to be a big play,” said Machado. “He made that throw, so that kind of got him back on track a little bit. He’s a sophomore, he’s going to
make mistakes but he’s growing. He’ll grow exponentially week-by-week.”
Jones finished with 65 yards on 8-of-19 completions. Junior running back Demario Ennis had a big night with 106 yards on 15 carries.
“We obviously need to clean some stuff up on the offense side of the ball,” said Machado. “You know we’re going to make mistakes. The situationalplay is what worries me most so we’re going to spend some time with that and make sure we get that cleaned up going into Dinuba next Friday.”
Porterville travels to DIV-II Dinuba (3-0) on Friday, Sept. 22. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.