As far as the 2012 football season is concerned, Plant fans have reason to be optimistic and Plant fans have cause to be concerned. The defending 8A State Champions overcame some early mistakes to score twice in the waning minutes of the first half and go into the locker room with a 14 – 6 lead over the visitors from Boyd Anderson. The Panthers then shut out the Cobras in the second half to win the game by a final score of 36 – 12.
The Cobras struck first when an Aaron Banks screen pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. However, in the final four minutes of the first half, Banks delivered a pair of 30 plus yard touchdown passes – one each to junior Cam Winters and senior K.J. Walker. William Few converted both extra points.
The visitors from Lauderdale Lakes closed the gap on the opening drive of the second half with a 70-yard scoring strike that cut the lead to two points. But on the ensuing kickoff, Georgia verbal committee Paris Bostick made a bee-line to paydirt with a 60-yard touchdown return. A two-point conversion gave the Panthers a 22 – 12 lead.
Moments later, sophomore running back Patrick Brooks picked up a loose ball in the Plant backfield and scampered in for a 2-yard touchdown run. Trip Lawson added the extra point and the Panthers were up 29 – 12. Brooks made a return engagement to the end zone a short while later with a 3-yard TD run. Lawson’s extra point gave the Panthers their final point of the night and a 36 – 12 victory.
Plant’s big plays enabled them to overcome two interceptions, a couple of lost fumbles and a several bad snaps. But while the offense struggled to replicate the well-oiled machine that Plant fans always recall seeing from the Panthers at the end of the preceding season, the defense was stout. Mitchell Wright, Andrew Beck and Reeves Rogers wreaked havoc on the Cobra offense, stopping many plays behind or at the line of scrimmage. Aside from the long touchdown pass at the start of the second half, the visitors managed precious little in the way of offense.
The Panthers look to build on the positive plays and correct their mistakes as they travel north on Himes Avenue this coming Saturday night to take on the Jesuit Tigers in a game that will feature a number of subplots and connections. Opening kickoff is slated for 8:05.
-Rob Barnes