Knights Fall to Huntsville Panthers in Second Half

Wes Patterson Scores First TD With A 14 Yard Pass From Heath Pope
                                                                                                      Photo by: Dwight Hayes

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Despite a valiant effort and a half time tie, the Arabian Knights could not contain the Huntsville Panthers in the second half of Friday night's homecoming game.  The Panthers were able to run off 21 unanswered points in the second half of a hard hitting game leading to a final score of 35 -14.

Both of Arab's scores came in the second quarter after Wes Patterson and Cody Tidmore intercepted two Panther passing attempts to set up the scoring drives.

The Panthers got on the scoreboard first in the first quarter with a drive which began on their own 34 yard line.  The Drive covered 66 yards in 10 plays lasting 4 minutes and 34 seconds.  The drive was capped off by a 30 yard touchdown pass from Joe Louis Fleming to Quandarius Carr.  Kicker Matt Ingerson added the PAT  to give Huntsville a 7 - 0 lead with 7:26 left in the first quarter.

Arab responded in the second quarter and started a drive on the Huntsville 17 yard line after Wes Patterson picked off a Panther pass.  Arab went 17 yards in three plays to score on a 14 yard pass from Heath Pope to Wes Patterson.  The PAT by Trey Knighton was good to tie the score at 7 all with 10:23 left in the second quarter.

With Arab's kick off, the Panthers started another drive from the Arab 41 and 4 plays later a 28 yard pass from B. J. Economy to Quandarius Carr gave the Panthers their second touchdown.  Matt Ingerson added the second point after to make the score, Huntsville 14, Arab 7 with 8:19 left in the second quarter.  The Huntsville drive took 2:04 off the clock.

Nick Karr Catches 2nd Quarter TD Pass To Tie Game At Half-Time
                                                                     Photo By: Dwight Hayes

Cody Tidmore picked off another Panther pass in the second quarter to begin an Arab drive which started on the Huntsville 27 yard line.  This drive covered 27 yards in only 15 seconds.  A 17 yard toss from Heath Pope to Nick Karr scored Arab's second touchdown and Trey Knighton's PAT made the score 14 all with 18 seconds left in the first half.

In the third quarter both teams traded unsuccessful ball possessions until Huntsville was able to sustain a drive which started on the Arab 19 line after an Arab fumble on their first play from scrimmage.  The panthers capitalized on the fumble recovery with a quick strike as Grant Stearns ran the ball 19 yards for a touchdown.  Huntsville kicker, Jeremy Moody tacked on the point after to give Huntsville the lead once again with a 21-14 score with 6:49 left in the third quarter.

Huntsville began a drive late in the third quarter and continued into the fourth quarter culminating with another touchdown with 11:52 left in the fourth quarter.  The drive began on the Huntsville 21 yard line and covered 79 yards spread over 11 plays and 4 minutes and 20 seconds.  Huntsville 28, Arab 14.

Huntsville made one final scoring drive in the game.  Starting on their own 28 yard line, the Panthers march 72 yards in 9 plays in a drive which lasts 3:58 and ends with a 44 yard touchdown pass from Joe Louis Fleming to A. J. Walker.  The Jeremy Moody PAT was good to give Huntsville a 35 -14 lead with 4:05 left in the game.

With time running out the Knights were forced to go to a series of long passes which led to a Huntsville interception.  After moving the ball down the field without scoring Huntsville was content to take a knee and run the clock out with about 10 seconds left on the clock.

Stats courtesy of "Citizen" Bill Rutherford and Matthew Greene of Fun 92.7 Radio.  Photos by Dwight Hayes of Arab Today.