Superior Sun
For a while last Friday night in Gilbert, the tenth-ranked Superior Panthers gave the fourth-ranked Gilbert Christian Knights all they could handle, jumping out to a 14 – 0 lead to start the game. Unfortunately, the Panthers couldn’t keep pace with the Knights as the game went on and eventually lost, 46 – 22.
“We came out focused and I was really impressed with our efficiency on the first couple drives,” Panthers’ head coach Ryan Palmer said after the game. “We had some mental mistakes defensively on alignment and assignment that lead to them scoring on us and taking the lead.”
Great blocking by the offensive line of Jalon Murray, Ricardo Ochoa, and Richard Navarro allowed a couple of long runs by Gage Cruz and Edgar Galindo to give the Panthers the early lead.
The Knights answered, however, scoring the next 22 points of the first quarter to take the lead.
Superior responded, scoring the last points of the first quarter to tie the game at 22.
The Panthers, playing without QB Gage Cruz, who left the game with a ribs injury, were outscored 11 – 0 in the second quarter and trailed at halftime, 33 – 22.
Superior’s defense played well in the second half, limiting the high-scoring Knights to only two second-half scores. The offense, on the other hand, was unable to sustain any drives without Cruz, a potential sectional Player of the Year.
“(It) was a tough loss, but our kids played their hearts out,” Palmer told the Superior Sun. “We had a few mistakes here and there against an opponent that was able to capitalize on them.”
Palmer added he expects his team to learn from the loss.
The Panthers close out the regular season this Friday versus Hayden, needing a win on Homecoming to secure a playoff berth.
Now 4 – 3 on the season and ranked tenth in the AIA rankings, the Panthers need to beat the Lobos Friday night and finish in the top 12 of the rankings to reach the postseason.
“Hopefully we will have enough power points to get into the playoffs,” Palmer said. “I truly believe that we have a playoff caliber team and if we make the tournament we are not an opponent anyone wants to face.”
Their effort during the first quarter of last week’s game against Gilbert Christian proved the Panthers are team to reckon with in the playoffs.