WEST ALEXANDRIA — With a strong defensive performance, Preble Shawnee turned a close game at halftime into a runaway by the middle of the fourth quarter to hand Twin Valley South its second straight loss, 53-26, on Friday, Sept. 9, at Vaughn Field.
Shawnee outscored South 33-7 in the second half as the Arrows scored two defensive touchdowns while holding the Panthers to just two first downs over the final 24 minutes.
Riley Stevenson got the scoring started for Shawnee with a 16-yard touchdown run with 7:24 to play in the first quarter to put the Arrows up 7-0.
South responded with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Caden Bishop to Whyatt Lakes on the first play of the Panthers next drive. Shawnee blocked the extra point and led 7-6 with 7:04 left.
South took the lead with 1.8 seconds left in the fist quarter on an 83-yard punt return by Cole Bishop. The successful point after gave South a 13-7 lead.
Shawnee regained the lead with 7:31 left in the second quarter on 16-yard touchdown pass from Brody Morton to Dylan Campbell.
The lead didn’t last long as South drive 62 yards in seven plays capped by a 12-yard TD run by Cole Bishop. The Panthers two-point conversion failed leaving the score 19-14.
After the teams exchanged possessions, Shawnee got the ball back with 1:19 left in half.
The Arrows drove 42 yards in five plays to take a 20-19 halftime lead on a Morton to Sayge Stephenson 2-yard touchdown pass.
The second half was dominated by the Arrows defense.
Campbell returned an interception 17 yards for a score with 8:06 left in the third to give his team a 26-19 lead.
With just over a minute to play, Morton tossed a shovel pass to Grady Hutchinson who raced 40 yards down the Shawnee sideline for a touchdown to put his team up 33-19.
Cais Kingsley pulled the Panthers back within one score when he returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yard for a touchdown with 45.2 left in the third.
In the fourth, Morton found Campbell for a 25-yard TD with 8:53 left to give the Arrows a 40-26 lead.
Morton added a 2-yard score with 5:08 left to make it a 46-26 game.
Sayge Stephenson capped off the scoring with a 42-yard interception return for a score with 4:56 left in the game.
Morton finished the game completing 18-of-24 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns.
Lane Lovely rushed for 41 yards on eight carries. Sayge Stephenson had 82 yards on four carries.
For South, Kingsley rushed for 87 yards on 16 carries. Cole Bishop had 50 yards on seven attempts.
Shawnee, now 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the WOAC is off this Friday and will return to action on Friday, Sept. 23 at Mississinawa Valley.
South, now 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the WOAC, is scheduled to travel to host Mississinawa Valley on Friday, Sept. 16.
