Perry sprints to 2-0 record behind big plays in passing game

The theme of the football contest between the Perry Panthers

(1-0) and the Northeast Raiders (0-1) on Friday night was surely the deep ball,

which the road team capitalized on in a 30-19 victory.

Perry quarterback Lane Rucker and his dangerous receiving

core were connecting all evening as the sophomore completed 20 of 41 passes for

389 passing yards and four touchdowns passes.

After coming up short on two 4th down attempts early in the

first quarter, Perry’s offense struck first when Rucker threw a 67-yard bomb

down the sideline to wide receiver Tyler Ridley for a touchdown. After an extra

point was missed, Perry was up 6-0.

The first quarter saw Northeast commit two turnovers (both

fumbles) while Perry fumbled the ball once on Northeast’s five-yard line after

starting a new drive. After a Rucker interception in the second quarter,

Northeast would get the ball and the home team converted a critical first down

on a 4th down & 1 on the goal line that eventually led to a three-yard

touchdown pass from quarterback Nolan Ussery on a rollout play. Northeast took

the lead 12-10.

Towards the end of the first half, Perry answered back when

Rucker found wide receiver Jonathan Williams right through the middle of the

field for a 27-yard touchdown pass to put them ahead 12-10, with the extra

point getting blocked. The Panthers went into halftime with a 15-10 edge, after

ending the first half recovering a fumble that led to a 25-yard field goal by

kicker Jorge Bautista.

The third quarter opened with Northeast intercepting Rucker

for the second time of the game and on the same drive, the Raiders Ussery ran

for a 20-yard touchdown run off a scramble to put the Raiders back ahead 17-15.

After throwing his third interception of the night (this time in a red zone opportunity),

Perry then took control on the offensive end.

Rucker found reciever BJ Wright down the field for a 42-yard

score and late in the quarter with the Panthers finding holes in the Raiders

secondary, Rucker threw a 20-yard score to Williams in the back of the endzone,

where he caught it then juggled the ball but maintained possession just enough

as he kept one foot inbounds. That might have been the play of the game and was

certainly the one that stretched the game open for the Panthers in their second

straight road win to start off the season.

“I feel like our strength is our skilled guys. We could be

down and we can score on one play or start from the one-yard line coming out,

we can score,” said Perry Head Football Coach Kevin Smith. “Our guys believe

that. Malik Mullins, Jon-Jon Williams, the sophomore BJ Wright, Tyler Ridley,

who made a big touchdown for us on a third down, were all great tonight.”

On the game, Williams caught 7 balls for 151 receiving yards

and 2 TD grabs, receiver Davion Ross had five catches for 71 receiving yards,

receiver Tyler Ridley had one catch for 67 yards and 1 TD and Wright caught one

ball on 42 yards receiving and 1 TD catch. Overall, the Panthers outgained the

Raiders 431-144 in total yards, while the defense was pretty impressive

themselves, recording six sacks, recovering four fumbles and getting one

interception.

“When we beat Hoco last week one of the things our guys said

was, ‘Man, we can win.’ I think we came up here with all the intention of

winning. I think the curve is turning. The culture is turning. We feel like if

we play hard, we can play with anybody.”

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