Behind a bend but don’t break defensive performance, the Panthers finally picked up their first win of the season, defeating Warren Central at home 22-6.
“I’m proud of the guys,” Daviess County head coach Anthony Payton said. “They have been working so hard since I got here. We took some thumpings against Owensboro and Owensboro Catholic. But they kept their spirits up.”
Gatlin Maysey was the driving force for the Panthers, rushing for 215 of the team’s 228 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
After punting on their first two possessions, the Panthers took a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter after Maysey ran it in from 37 yards out. Carrying the momentum, Daviess County’s defense forced a fumble on the next drive – culminating in a 37-yard field goal, for a 10-0 lead.
Warren Central fumbled on the opening drive of the second half, but Daviess County missed the ensuing field goal attempt. With 10:01 left in the game, Warren Central finally got on the board thanks to an 11-yard rushing touchdown, but was unsuccessful on the two-point attempt.
Daviess County turned it over on downs on their next drive, but the defense continued to make their presence felt, forcing their third fumble of the game. The Panthers quickly capitalized, with Maysey running it in from 13 yards out.
Trailing 15-6 with five minutes left, Warren Central found themselves in striking distance, but turned it over on downs at the Panthers 15. One play later, Maysey iced the game, ripping off an impressive 85-yard touchdown run for a final score of 22-6.
Despite only scoring six points, Warren Central outgained the Panthers 297-259, including a whopping 272 rushing yards. It came down to the turnover battle, which Daviess County dominated 3-0.
“We knew they had a good running game and we came in and made some plays. Our defense got to the ball well, but we need to be more intensive on our tackles. We flew around and missed some tackles, but we made them when we needed to.”
