By MICHAEL PRUNKA

Washington Daily News

 

GREENVILLE — A scoreless tie at the end of regulation forced the dueling defenses of the Eagles and Panthers to settle things in overtime during Saturday morning’s 8U Community Youth Football League matchup at J.H. Rose High School.

JaTavion Ebron rushed to the right for 10 yards to give the Panthers a 6-0 lead in overtime. The two-point conversion attempt came up short, which gave the Eagles a chance to win the game on their overtime possession.

Calek Smaw and Zy’Mireon Sutton both made three-yard runs that put the Eagles in striking distance. The Panthers made a tackle in the backfield on third down to push the Eagles back. The defense capped off a strong performance with a fourth-down stop to win the Panthers the game, a fitting ending for a game decided by just one touchdown.

They kicked off the game with a pair of early tackles in the backfield that set the tone for the rest of the morning.

That defensive momentum proved important early on, too. The Panthers fumbled the ball away on their first play of the game. They kept the Eagles in check by forcing a fumble of their own soon after.

Big plays were hard to come by. Instead, each side was forced to be patient and pick up small chunks of yards. Ebron was the offensive motor for the Panthers, who also found success in drawing the Eagles offside.

Josiah Jennette, Smaw and Sutton were all impact players for the Eagle offense. Sutton opened up the fourth quarter by ripping off a 43-yard run to the Panthers’ 10-yard line. He ran twice more for nine yards, positioning the Eagles right outside the goal line.

The Panthers didn’t let Sutton and the Eagles convert. They kept them out of the end zone in what proved to be their last drive of regulation, allowing the offense a chance to win it in overtime.

The loss puts an end to the Eagles’ undefeated start.