Miami Trace’s Julian Baker (3) carries the ball during the first half of the home game against Western Brown on Friday, Sept. 2o, 2o24. Also pictured for the Panthers is Gaige Stuckey (2). Miami Trace would win the contest by a score of 56-49.
Tyler Flora | Record-Herald
It was the final week of non-conference play for Miami Trace (3-1) as they hosted Western Brown (2-2) on Friday night. A total of 15 touchdowns were scored on the evening as the Panthers outlasted the Broncos by a score of 56-49.
Miami Trace received the opening kickoff and it was returned deep into Bronco territory by Austin Brown. A big run from Julian Baker got them inside the red zone, and later Trey Robinette found Brown wide open in the end zone for a touchdown to cap off the drive. The PAT was good by Luke Morrison and made it 7-0 with 9:43 left in the game.
Western Brown was first to punt on their opening possession. This would prove to be the only time in the contest that either team punted the ball.
Miami Trace started at their own 31-yard line and quickly got the ball to midfield. They faced a fourth-and-two from the Bronco 40, and Baker picked up four yards to keep the drive alive. A big gain from Baker put them inside the 25, and a solid pickup from Evan Colegrove had them inside the 15. On third-and-seven from the 10-yard line, Robinette found Skye Salyers in the back of the end zone for the touchdown. Morrison’s PAT was true, making it 14-0 with 2:42 remaining in the opening quarter.
After a couple of big plays, the first quarter ended with Western Brown having the ball third-and-goal from the one-yard line. After stopping the Broncos on third down, the Panthers could not stop the Broncos on fourth-and-goal as they converted a touchdown pass to get within a possession. The PAT made it 14-7 with 11:46 left in the first half.
Western Brown called a surprise onside kick to follow and were able to recover it. A deep pass over the middle of the field got the Broncos to the Panther 16, and on third-and-10 they would score on a 16-yard touchdown pass. The PAT tied the game at 14 with 10:57 remaining in the half.
On the second play of the next drive, Baker broke free up the middle for a 55-yard touchdown run to put the Panthers back in front. The PAT made it 21-14 with just under 10 minutes to go in the first half.
On the first play of the next drive, Tyler Stevens recorded a sack to push the Broncos back. An incomplete pass brought up third-and-long and the pass attempt was intercepted by Cooper Enochs. An illegal hands to the face penalty on the Panthers would negate the interception and give the Broncos a fresh set of downs. After picking up nine yards on the next play, Western Brown ran a reverse pass trick play to get inside the red zone. The Broncos would score on the next play on a 19-yard touchdown run, and the PAT would tie it at 21 with 8:19 to go in the half.
A huge kick return by Colegrove on the ensuing kickoff was called back due to an illegal blindside block, moving the Panthers inside their own 25. A dazzling run from Robinette had the Panthers at the Bronco 34, and an illegal hands to the face penalty on Western Brown put Miami Trace in the red zone. Baker would score on a six-yard run later in the drive, and the PAT made it 28-21 midway through the second quarter.
Western Brown fumbled on their first play from scrimmage and the Panthers recovered at their own 42. They later faced a fourth-and-five from the 24-yard line and took a shot to the end zone but Robinette’s pass to Salyers fell incomplete.
The Broncos took over on downs and quickly got near field before scoring on a 61-yard touchdown pass to a wide open receiver down the middle of the field. The PAT was good to tie it at 28, which was the halftime score.
Western Brown possessed the ball first to start the third quarter and would turn it over on downs after the Panthers stuffed them on fourth-and-one.
Miami Trace capitalized with a 26-yard touchdown run by Robinette, capped off with a dive into the end zone. The PAT was no good and left the score at 34-28 with just over six minutes left in the third quarter.
The Broncos made quick work of the next drive and scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass. The PAT was good and gave them their first lead of the night, 35-34 with 2:56 to go in the third.
On the first play of the next drive, Enochs took a hand off around the edge and raced 58 yards for a Miami Trace touchdown to regain the lead. The PAT made it 41-35 with 2:41 left in the third quarter.
Kooper Hicks intercepted a Western Brown pass on the next drive, but it was negated by a defensive pass interference call. On the very next play, the Panthers were called for defensive pass interference to give the Broncos the ball inside the red zone. Western Brown later faced second-and-17 from the Panther 27, but a third defensive pass interference call on Miami Trace made it second-and-two from the 12. The third quarter ended with Western Brown facing a third-and-one from the 11-yard line.
They would score on an 11-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, and the PAT would give the Broncos back the lead, 42-41.
Western Brown tried a squib kick and Miami Trace recovered it at their own 43 on the ensuing kickoff.
The first play of the drive saw Robinette find Gaige Stuckey down the right sideline for a 57-yard touchdown. Miami Trace opted to go for two, and after dropping and picking up the ball off of the turf on the snap, Robinette scrambled and found Enochs in the end zone for the conversion. This put the Panthers in front 49-42 with 8:55 remaining in the contest.
A deep pass early in the Bronco’s next drive had them inside the Miami Trace 30. The next play was a completion down the left sideline and inside the 10-yard line. On second-and-goal from the five, Western Brown scored on a five-yard pass, and the PAT tied the game at 49 with 8:55 left in the game.
The Panthers would put together a lengthy drive in response, taking over five minutes off the clock and converting multiple third downs. The drive was capped off with a nine-yard touchdown run by Baker, and the PAT gave Miami Trace a 56-49 lead with 3:33 left in the game.
Western Brown got near midfield with two minutes left in the game, but could not convert a fourth-and-seven which gave the ball back to the Panthers.
Miami Trace was able to run out the rest of the clock and come away with the victory.
The Panthers (4-1) will begin Frontier Athletic Conference play next week by hosting the Hillsboro Indians (2-3) for their homecoming game. The Indians have lost all three games this season by a combined 13 points.
Western Brown (3-2) will also begin league play next week as they travel to take on Batavia (4-1).
