Mynatt Minute: Lenoir City game report
By Bill Mynatt, Radio Voice of Powell Panther Football on AM 620 WRJZ
At this point in the season, style points don’t matter one bit. The late owner of the Oakland Raiders, Al Davis, often said; “Just Win Baby”. That philosophy proves especially true at playoff time. Just win, survive, and advance on to the next round.
The Powell Panthers did exactly that – overcoming penalties and missed scoring opportunities along the way – and held off a late Lenoir City rally to win 34-26. With the win, Powell earns the right to host Knoxville West in the TSSAA Class 5A semifinals this Friday. The winner of that game will advance to the Blue Cross Bowl on Friday, December 2, to play for the state championship.
Powell jumped out to a 14-0 halftime lead, thanks to a stingy defense that allowed Lenoir City just 11 net yards of offense in the first 24 minutes of play. Two Dy’shawn Mobley TD runs of 1 yard each accounted for the points, but it was the points the Panthers didn’t score in the first half that almost came back to bite them. Powell had 2 touchdowns called back due to penalties, and turned the ball over on downs on another first half possession. If not for miscues, Powell could have led 28 or even 35 to nothing at the half, which certainly would have made it a different game after halftime.
Even after Powell scored first in the third quarter to go up 21-0, it looked like the home team was in complete control, but Lenoir City junior quarterback Jordan Hall kept his cool, leading his team on a furious rally in the last 17 minutes of the game. Lenoir City scored its first points of the game at the 5:38 mark of the third, and then put a scare in the Powell fans that wasn’t eased until senior Justin Wood fell on top of a Lenoir City onside kick attempt with 1:15 left to go in the game. From that point, Powell QB Dustin McPhetridge took 3 knees, and the spot in the semifinals was secured.
Powell’s scores came on 5 touchdown runs by senior Dy’shawn Mobley, who continued his record setting year for the Panthers. Mobley carried the football 25 times, gaining 238 yards in the process. He scored on runs of 1, 1, 25, 24, and 21 yards. His 238 yards vaults him to the top of the Powell career total offense list, putting him 3 yards ahead of the former career leader, Panther head coach Matt Lowe.
The Panthers also got a solid performance from McPhetridge, who completed 9 of his 14 pass attempts for 109 yards, and a big 2 point conversion to fellow senior Drake Owenby.
Hall finished the game by completing 22 of his 38 pass attempts, good for 248 yards, a touchdown and a 2 point conversion. All but 17 of those passing yards came in the second half. Hall hooked up with Jordan Willis 3 times for 119 yards, and with Camion Patrick 5 times for 43 yards, a touchdown, and a late 2 point conversion that cut the lead to the eventual 8 point winning margin.
With the win, Powell improves to 13-0 on the season. The 13 wins are the most in school history by a Panther team.
Lenoir City’s Cinderella playoff run, which saw them win road games at defending state champion Columbia Central and Centennial, is over. Lenoir City finishes the season at 7-6.
As the 1 seed in Quad 2, Powell earns the host spot for the semifinals over the second seed from Quad 1 West Rebels. West reached the semifinals with playoff wins at home over Daniel Boone 35-13, at home over Sullivan South 48-21, and then an impressive win on the road over the Quad 1 top seeded Morristown West Trojans 40-14.
Kickoff on Friday will take place at 7 PM. Air time on AM 620 WRJZ and www.powellpanthersfootball.com is 6:30.
Powell – Lenoir City Statistics
Scoring
P 7:20 1st Mobley 1 yard TD run,
PAT no good
P 11:00 2nd Mobley 1 yard TD run,
McPhetridge to D. Owenby 2 point conversion pass
P 10:19 3rd Mobley 25 yard TD run
Neely PAT
LC 5:38 3rd J. Hall 25 yard TD pass to Patrick
PAT no good
P 3:50 3rd Mobley 24 yard TD run
Neely PAT
LC 2:17 3rd Wilson 3 yard TD run
PAT no good
LC 6:44 4th J. Hall 5 yard TD run
2 point conversion attempt no good
P 3:33 4th Mobley 21 yard TD run
PAT no good
LC 1:15 4th Wilson 1 yard TD run
J. Hall 2 point conversion pass to Patrick
Powell Lenoir City
34 Score 26
67 Offensive Plays 63
21 First Downs 15
301 Rush Yards 43
109 Pass Yards 248
410 Total Yards 291
13/110 Penalties/Yards 12/120
0 Turnovers 0
25:28 TimeOfPoss 22:32
2 of 9 3rd Down Conv 7 of 12
Powell Rushing
Mobley 25 for 238, 5 TDs
McPhetridge 17 for 41
Logan 2 for 18
H. Owenby 1 for 4
Powell Passing
McPhetridge 9 for 14 for 109 yards, 1-2 point conversion
Powell Receiving
D. Owenby 2 for 44, 1-2 point conversion
Wright 3 for 6
Logan 4 for 59
Powell Kicking
Neely 2 for 4 PATs
Robinson 0 for 1 FG (27 yards)
Wood 3 punts for 31.3 YPP
Lenoir City Rushing
J. Hall 10 for 35, 1 TD
Wilson 6 for 18, 2 TDs
Patrick 2 for -4
Smith 1 for -6
Lenoir City Passing
J. Hall 22 for 38 for 248 yards, 1 TD, 1-2 point conversion
Lenoir City Receiving
Patrick 5 for 43, 1 TD, 1-2 point conversion
T. Hall 4 for 27
Woods 4 for 23
Wilson 4 for 15
Willis 3 for 119
Hatfield 1 for 15
Hamilton 1 for 6
Lenoir City Kicking
Vincil 0 for 2 PATs
5 punts for 39.0 YPP
Photos courtesy of Eric Kennedy:
