LILBURN, Ga. — The Rams came out of the Orange Jungle empty handed Friday night as the Panthers defense mauled the Rams for four straight quarters.
Newton lost to Parkview by a score of 35-7, as the Parkview defense dominated the Rams at every point of the game, keeping the high-powered Rams quiet for one of the few times all season.
For the first three drives of the game, both offenses were stalling as both defenses took control early.
On Parkview’s second offensive drive, running back Cody Brown took the handoff up the middle and take it 48-yards all the way in for the score to put the Panthers on the board first with a score of 7-0.
After a 62-yard pass from Rams’ quarterback Jevarra Martin to Nyland Green that put Newton inside the Panthers 10-yard line, Martin’s next passed was tipped at the line and intercepted to give the Parkview offense the ball back.
The Panthers answered big on the next play with quarterback Colin Houck connecting with Jared Brown on the 89-yard touchdown pass to give Parkview the commanding 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
After another empty drive from the Rams’ offense, Newton’s defense was be the one to come up big. Star defensive end Justin Benton stripped the ball from Houck on the sack, allowing Tahjae Mullix to pick the ball up for the scoop n’ score to put the Rams on the board 14-7.
Another three and out from the Rams offense allowed the Panthers to kill Newton’s momentum as Houck would once again find Brown who took the short pass 68-yards for the touchdown, giving Parkview a 21-7 lead.
The Panthers’ defense once again got a stop late in the second quarter by intercepting Martin for the second time of the night, putting a close to the first half by keeping Parkview ahead by two scores.
Going into halftime 21-7, the Panthers defense held Martin to only 107 yards and two interceptions, while keeping the Rams’ rushing total under 50 yards.
After receiving the opening kickoff of the second half, Houck once again found Brown down the sideline for a 58-yard touchdown. The touchdown marked the third time in the game that Houck and Brown had connected for a touchdown of 50-yards or more.
Houck threw his fourth touchdown pass of the night midway through the final quarter of the game as he found wideout Bryce Fleetwood on the 30-yard pass to put the Panthers up 35-7.
After forcing the Rams’ third turnover on downs in their last four drives, the Panthers would run the rest of the clock out to beat the Rams by a score of 35-7.
After losing their third consecutive game to drop to 2-3 on the year, the Rams will have a week off before hosting the Brookwood Broncos on Friday, Oct. 30.
