When trailing Apollo 14-0 and 28-14, Daviess County made sure not to panic. Instead, whenever they needed a big play, the defense stepped up in spades, spurring the Panthers to a 34-28 comeback win.
The Eagles seemed poised to run away with the game early, jumping out to a 14-0 lead in less than seven minutes. On their opening drive QB Max Johnson found JT Edge from 16 yards out and on their ensuing possession, Ross Milburn scored from one yard out.
Facing third and goal from the Panthers’ eight, the Eagles had a chance to take a three-score lead, but instead Johnson’s pass was picked off by Parker Higginbotham and returned 82 yards for a touchdown.
“That’s what big-time players do,” Daviess County Head Coach Quadarius Wallace said. “He’s a big-time player. Big-time players make big-time plays. Parker missed last week so he was hungry and ready to get back. It was a great comeback game for him.”
After forcing the Eagles to punt, Daviess County methodically marched 93 yards down the field, culminating in Hunter Corbin scoring from three yards out. Corbin scored the ensuing two point attempt to tie the game at 14.
With 2:43 left in the first half, Apollo quickly responded. Starting from their own 19, the Eagles traveled 81 yards in seven plays – leading to Johnson finding Landen Bratcher for a 10-yard score and a 21-14 halftime lead.
Halfway through the third quarter, Apollo pushed the lead to 28-14 when Johnson once again connected with Bratcher, this time from one yard out.
The Panthers’ fourth-quarter comeback started with 11:23 left in the game when QB Garrison Barker found Trey McRath from 14 yards out, but the two-point attempt was no good.
Throughout the fourth quarter, the Panthers continued to send pressure after Johnson, with Josh Coffey recording multiple sacks.
“Josh is a captain, senior, leader, and playmaker for us,” Wallace said. “That’s what needs to happen. Leaders, captains, and seniors find a way to make a play. Fortunately for us, Josh made a few plays that were very big.”
After forcing the Eagles to punt, with the drive being derailed by a Coffey sack, the Panthers capitalized on the momentum. With 6:57 left in the quarter, Daviess County tied the game when Barker found Jace Hunt for a 56-yard touchdown.
Over the next three drives, Apollo turned it over on downs twice and Daviess County once, with both defenses standing tall. Taking over on their own 46 with 1:21 left in the game, the Panthers stuck to the run game. Corbin broke free for 25 yards and two plays later scampered in from six yards out for the game winning touchdown.
Barker was 11/15 for 184 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, while his counterpart, Johnson, went 15-29 for 208 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Bratcher finished with a game-high eight catches and 131 yards, while the Panthers’ Ridge Roberts rushed for 74 yards.
Next up for both teams is the playoffs, with Apollo set to host Barren County, while Daviess County will travel to Hopkinsville.
“We had way too many penalties tonight,” Wallace said. “Especially in the first half. It was awful. That stalled our offense, all of the penalties. We have to do a better job of moving our feet and blocking the way we are supposed to block. Simple as that.”
