By Charlie Anderson
Contributing Writer

Keldred Bouler runs against Coffeeville Friday. photo by Michael's photography

The Marengo High School Panthers scored 22 unanswered points in the first half of their battle with the Panthers of Coffeeville High School last Friday, Sept. 8 and cruised to a 42-7 win. In the game which was held in Dixons Mill the Marengo offense racked up 380 yards of total offense including 339 yards on the ground.

Speedster P. J Brown got things going for Marengo in the first quarter when he raced 73 yards to pay dirt getting the home crowd on their feet. The extra-point try failed but Marengo led 6-0.

The home standing Panthers went to the air for their next score with Quarterback James Bennett hooking up with Kenneth Jones on a forty-one yard scoring strike as the teams settled into the second quarter. Bennett then called his own number on the two-point conversion raising the Marengo score to 14-0. Still in the second period, Keldred Bouler got the call next for Marengo and responded with a twenty-three yard scamper to the end zone. Bouler added the two-point conversion as well and the Marengo lead was 22-0 as the first half came to a close.

The second half began a lot like the first with P. J. Brown getting Marengo on the scoreboard again as he rambled 34 yards for his second touchdown of the evening. Keldred Bouler then hit Quentin Bouler with a pass for the two-point conversion and Marengo had increased its lead to 30-0 still early in the third quarter.

With the visitors from west Clarke County still unable to sustain any offensive thrust the Marengo offense got the ball back and added to their lead when Ronnie Hildreth barreled in from 10 yards out to make the score 36 - 0 late in the third stanza.

Michael Watkins capped the Marengo scoring for the night in the fourth quarter when he blasted his way into the end zone from one yard out increasing Marengo's point total to 42. Coffeeville scored late in the quarter on a pass interception and with an extra point kick that was good made the final 42-7.

P. J. Brown led the Marengo rushing attack in the win piling up 121 yards on four carries and scoring two touchdowns. He was followed by Donte Packer with 94 yards on five carries and Ronnie Hildreth with 87 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown. In the air James Bennett was 1 for 3 for 41 yards and a touchdown while Keldred Bouler was 1 for 1 with a two-point conversion.

Over on the defense the Panthers were led by Quentin Bouler with 12 tackles followed by Kaylos Pritchett with 11 and Donte Packer with eight.

In evaluating his Panthers play against Coffeeville Coach Scottie Jones was particularly proud of his defense. "I can't say enough about the effort of our defense," Jones said. "They continued to play with a lot of intensity and were very physical as they shutout the Coffeeville offense." As for his offense, Jones continued to praise his stable of outstanding backs and even threw a little toward his offensive line. "Our backs performed well as usual in Friday's game," the Panther skipper said. "I saw some improvement in our offensive line as well although we still have a long way to go." With the win, the Panthers move to 2-0 on the season and 1-0 in the region and prepare to face another region opponent in the form of the always-athletic J. F. Shields Panthers this Friday night. Marengo will be on the road for this one with kickoff set for 7 p.m. in Beatrice.