WARNER ROBINS, GA — Freedom Field was rocking and rolling once again Friday night as two of Houston County’s best faced off.
The non-region matchup between the Perry Panthers and the Veterans Warhawks took no time for the fireworks to explode for both teams.
The Warhawks pushed out to a strong start off the kickoff return from senior Shamarr Murray. This explosive opening play set up senior wide receiver Preston Byrd for a touchdown run a few plays later.
The Panthers responded with a touchdown drive led by star running back Ahmad Gordon. All night long, Gordon wasted zero opportunities to haunt the Warhawk defense, whether it was through Perry’s explosive rushing attack or through their lethal
short passing attack.
When asked about his four touchdown performance, Gordon was ecstatic. “I’m feeling great,” Gordon said. “It’s nice to have a win.” Gordon has tormented opposing defenses all season long, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Perry Head Coach Kevin Smith was very enthusiastic after Gordon’s performance. “He’s top notch,” Smith said. “He’s a bell cow, and we’re going to hand it to him and they’re going to have to tackle him.” Gordon is the feature back in the Panthers’ two-headed monster in their backfield.
Perry’s rushing attack was extremely valuable late in the game when the Panthers attempted to play keep away from the late push made by the Warhawks quarterback Jake Maxwell and his favorite target Byrd.
The Panthers also threw the ball at an efficient rate. Senior quarterback Colter Ginn consistently found his targets on third down, and he displayed his strong arm on multiple occasions.
Additionally, senior playmaker Dakari Anderson produced multiple major receptions. Anderson can be described as Perry’s “do everything” player. His talent is apparent, and the Panthers do not waste any opportunities to give him the ball.
Although the game was extremely high scoring, the Panther defense stepped up when it mattered most. Whether it was through forcing timely interceptions or by making Maxwell feel uncomfortable in the pocket, the Panther defense made their presence known.
Every time the Panthers made a mistake, they immediately bounced back with momentum shifting plays.
Late in the second quarter, the Warhawks converted a fake punt opportunity that set them up in the red zone. On the next snap, the Panther secondary produced a massive interception that thwarted a Warhawk drive that appeared destined for points.
This moment and others are the reason that the Panthers were victorious Friday night. Both teams made numerous mistakes, but the Panthers ability to bounce back and rebound from their errors led them to victory.
Coach Smith was extremely grateful after the win. “I just thank God for the victory,” Smith said. “We didn’t play our best game, and Veterans did a great job and had a great game plan.”
It is important to note that the Warhawks did have an impressive performance regardless of the loss. Byrd was responsible for all six touchdowns Friday night, and he produced massive plays every time the Warhawks offense needed it.
Maxwell had a solid performance as well. Although he had two interceptions, he rallied in the second half when he was needed. The Warhawk offense had to rely on Maxwell’s arm for much of the game due to their rushing attack being limited by the Perry defense.
Despite the Warhawks’ strong performance, Perry still prevailed. The Panthers are putting GHSA 4A on notice after playing Houston County extremely close and picking up the win Friday night over the Warhawks. The two games against the 6A schools have propelled Perry in GHSA Power Rankings, and they have proven to teams across the state that the Panthers will be a force this season.
UP NEXT:
The Panthers travel to take on the Peach County Trojans on Friday, Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
The Warhawks face off against the Lakeside Panthers at home again on Friday, Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
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