Missed Chances Haunt PCHS
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Mistakes and missed opportunities haunted Pinckneyville, as the Panthers
dropped their home opener 7-0 last night at Quillman Field to <span id="lw_1220680718_0" class="yshortcuts" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">West
Frankfort</span>.
Twice late in the game the Panthers took over on downs deep in Redbird
territory (thanks to a pair of bad snaps) with a chance to tie the game or
take the lead, but both times the offense could not find their way into the
end zone.
"You can't fault our effort, I thought we played very hard, but there's
times you've got to make some plays," said Panthers' <span id="lw_1220680718_1" class="yshortcuts">head coach</span> Tod Rushing.
"We dropped balls, we fumbled balls, and we missed open receivers."
The game got off to a frightening start for Pinckneyville, as RB/DB Ben
Harriss went down on the second play from scrimmage on defense, dislocating
his elbow. Harriss was taken out via ambulance, but reports were that
x-rays showed no <span id="lw_1220680718_2" class="yshortcuts">broken bones</span>.
"We'll play the 'wait and see' game," said Rushing, adding "I expect we'll
be without him for at least a week."
On that same series, the <span id="lw_1220680718_3" class="yshortcuts">Redbirds</span> found the end zone on a fourth-and-twelve
from the Panthers' 25-yard line with a pass from quarterback Kendrick
Simelton to Preston Filkins, but a flag for an illegal man down field
negated the touchdown.
<span id="lw_1220680718_4" class="yshortcuts"> West Frankfort</span> would turn it over on downs, but the Panthers gave it right
back only a handful of plays later on an interception.
Bryant Lively returned the favor, picking off Simelton at the Pinckneyville
14-yard line, and the Panthers drove down to the Redbirds' 25-yard line
behind first down runs from Tyler Rice, Jonathan Kuberski and Nathan Morton.
The offense would stall, however, turning it over on downs early in the
second quarter.
The Redbirds followed with a lengthy drive of their own, converting a fourth
down on their way to the Panthers' 14-yard line for a first down.
Pinckneyville's defense continued to come up big, stopping West Frankfort in
their tracks on a fourth-and-one at the five-yard line, and keeping the game
scoreless.
The key moment of the football game would occur moments later, as the
Panthers fumbled deep in their own territory, and Paul Coash recovered for
the Redbirds at the Pinckneyville 17 with 3:01 remaining in the half.
Simelton found Patrick O'Keefe at the Panthers' 5 yard line for a first
down, and put it into the end zone himself on third-and-goal from the one.
The <span id="lw_1220680718_5" class="yshortcuts">extra point</span> put the Redbirds up 7-0 just 34.6 seconds before the break.
Jake Bathon picked off Simelton in the third quarter, but another fumble on
offense turned things back over to the Redbirds after the offense had moved
the ball near midfield.
Early in the fourth, the Panthers had first-and-goal at the West Frankfort
nine, but fumbled a snap and ended up losing yardage before a pair of
incomplete passes turned the ball over.
A similar series would follow after a second botched punt by the Redbirds,
with the Panthers failing to advance the ball after taking over at the West
Frankfort 23-yard line.
Simelton finished with 110 yards on 24 carries while adding 43 yards in the
air, completing 6-of-9 passes on the night. <span id="lw_1220680718_6" class="yshortcuts">Andy Johnson</span> added 50 yards on
14 attempts.
Morton led the Panthers in rushing for the second straight week, finishing
with 55 yards on 13 carries.
"(Morton)'s had some trouble with his foot and toe, if he had a good leg and
could run, that's a big part of our spread (offense)," said Rushing.
Pinckneyville (0-2) will look to rebound next week at Benton.