Peachtree Academy got the ball rolling for their fall sports schedule last week with their volleyball, football, soccer and cross country teams getting their seasons started.

The Panthers volleyball team took down Providence 3-1, in a Providence home game played at Wolverine Gym in Oxford. The soccer team traveled to Oak Mountain and took their first loss in a hard fought 3-0 match.

On Friday night, the football team beat John Hancock Academy 8-0 in a home game at Wolverine Field. The gridiron Panthers won a hard fought defensive struggle. In the first game of the year for the Panthers, the team saw John Hancock, with their large offensive line, move the ball down the field. With first and goal at the 4-yard line, the Panthers made a strong defensive stand and took over on downs as the Rebels could not push the ball in the end zone.

From there, the game became a strong defensive struggle as both teams did a great job of controlling the line of scrimmage until late in the fourth quarter, when the Panthers controlled the ball for a long touchdown drive. The drive was highlighted by strong runs by sophomore running back Hunter Payne, junior running back Cameron Huchel, sophomore running back Josh Coursey, senior running back Lawson Van Ness and sophomore quarterback Patrick Cartledge.

With 1:42 left in the game, Cartledge bootlegged to the right then cut back through the Rebel line and walked in standing up. The two point conversion was run in by Van Ness and the Panthers had an 8-0 lead.

A strong defensive stand by the Panthers closed the game out. The Panthers were led by Cartledge with 58-yards rushing on nine carries, with a touchdown and 4-of-4 passing for 45 yards. Payne contributed 54 yards on seven carries, Huchel with six carries for 26 yards, Coursey two carries for 18 yards and Van Ness with three carries for 10 yards and a two-point conversion.

Overall, the Panthers totaled 211 total yards, rushing for 166 yards on 45 carries and 4-of-4 passing for 45 yards.