At the end of a hot weather week, the Miami Trace Panthers hosted the Logan Elm Braves for non-conference action on the third Friday of the 2019 football season.
Miami Trace spotted Logan Elm an early 7-0 lead after an interception by the Braves set up Donte Dryden’s 16-yard touchdown run.
The Panthers knew there was a lot of time remaining and they eventually wore down the Braves and rolled to a 49-24 victory.
Miami Trace improves to 2-1 overall, while Logan Elm dips to 1-2.
The Panthers got on the board with a 26-yard field goal by Justin Shoemaker.
Logan Elm scored with 2:39 to play in the first quarter on a 2-yard run by Conner Robinson.
The extra-point kick made it 14-3, Braves.
Jayden LeBeau had 21 carries for 241 yards for the Panthers.
He scored the first of his three touchdowns on a 32-yard run at the 2:07 mark. Shoemaker’s kick put the score at 14-10.
The score remained 14-10 at the end of the first quarter.
With the full moon rising in the southeastern sky, the Panthers took little time to score again.
A nice run by LeBeau and a reception by Javin Robinette set up Austin Carpenter’s 7-yard touchdown run. The kick made it 17-14, Miami Trace at the 10:49 mark of the second quarter.
It was a lead they would not relinquish.
Before long, Logan Elm fumbled and James Gilpen recovered for the Panthers.
On the next play from scrimmage, Dalton Mayer completed a pass to Robinette for a 48-yard touchdown. Shoemaker’s kick gave the Panthers a 24-14 lead.
Miami Trace’s Josh Gilmore had an interception and returned it over 70 yards for a touchdown. However, a penalty on Miami Trace nullified that otherwise fine play.
Soon it was Mayer busting through the Braves’ defense and racing 71 yards for the score.
The extra-point attempt was no good, leaving the Panthers with a 30-14 lead with 3:26 remaining until halftime.
Robinson hooked up with Jared Harrington for a touchdown pass play with 17 seconds before the end of the half.
The Braves converted a two-point pass to pull to within eight, 30-22.
In the third quarter, LeBeau struck again, this time for 20 yards and the touchdown. The conversion was no good, giving the Panthers a 36-22 lead.
Robinette had an interception that set up another score for Miami Trace.
Mayer ran it in from eight-yards out with 1:33 to play in the third quarter. The point-after kick was blocked by the Braves, but the Panthers were in good shape, leading 42-22.
LeBeau scored with 9:34 to play in the game, an eight-yard run. Shoemaker’s kick was good for a 49-22 advantage.
LeBeau would have had four touchdowns, but his first one was called back due to a Panther penalty.
Mason Snow had an interception to thwart a scoring opportunity for Logan Elm.
Moments later, the Braves blocked a Miami Trace punt in the end zone. The Panthers recovered the ball, which went as a safety for Logan Elm, the final points of the game, setting the end result at 49-24.
Unofficially, the Braves had 146 yards rushing and 184 yards passing (16 of 33) for a total of 330 yards of offense.
The Braves had 13 first downs, but turned the ball over four times on the night.
Miami Trace had 439 yards rushing, led by LeBeau with three touchdowns and 241 yards on 21 carries.
Mayer had a touchdown run and carried nine times for 127 yards. He completed 7 of 10 passes for 74 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
The Panthers had 15 first downs and a total of 513 yards of offense.
Miami Trace now will get ready to play a team way up in Stark County next week, the Marlington Dukes.
Marlington was 1-1 on the season going into Friday’s game against 2-0 New Philadelphia. They had lost 24-23 to Poland Seminary and then bounced back to defeat Kent Roosevelt, 34-10.
Logan Elm will play at Teays Valley next week. The Vikings are 2-1 on the season. They shut out Chillicothe in week one, 14-0 and defeated Logan, 10-7. Last night, however, Valley lost to Canal Winchester, 66-7.
