Gage Fortner Sparkles as Panthers Drop Platte Valley 52-46

Pattonsburg stunned #7 Platte Valley in its first game of the season Friday as they built up a 30-18 lead at halftime and then held on for a 52-46 win.

The Panthers built up the early lead despite Platte Valley trying to slow the game down. It looked like the game might turn in Platte Valley’s favor as they were able to slow the game down to their pace and get the only score of the third quarter to cut it to 30-24. But then the fourth quarter turned into the kind of track meet that Pattonsburg likes to play and they held on for the 52-46 win.

Gage Fortner started at quarterback and sparkled in his debut, completing 26 of 35 passes for 355 yards, 6 scores, and two picks. Last year’s quarterback, Camden Griffith, moved back to his natural position of wide receiver, creating a matchup nightmare for opponents with Wyatt Maize back. Maize ran nine times for 59 yards, just enough to keep the defense honest. Griffith added another 20 yard run.

Gavin Humphrey had 12 catches for 172 yards  for the Panthers. Wyatt Maize had 6 catches for 94 yards and Camden Griffith had 6 catches for 86 yards. Griffith caught four passes and Maize caught two.

The one negative was three turnovers for the game. But in a positive note, the defense came to play and even got a score, a 53 yard fumble return by Gavin Humphrey after Alex Young forced a fumble. The Panthers have struggled to convert extra points in the past, but converted five out of seven chances Friday, with Drake Sperry getting two catches, Gage Fortner running in one, and Camden Griffith and Wyatt Maize catching passes.

Platte Valley had 68 plays from scrimmage to 50 for the Panthers, but the Panthers had a lot of different players step up and make tackles. Collin Mason had a big night defensively with nine tackles, three for loss. Gavin Humphrey had 9 tackles, one for loss. Ryker Fortner, a new face on the defensive squad, also had 9 tackles along with Camden Griffith. Jace Estrada had 8 tackles, one for loss. He will be counted on heavily. Their best run stopper, the Panthers struggled in their last two games last year after he went down. Wyatt Maize also had 8 tackles. Alex Young had 7, Drake Sperry 6, and Gage Fortner, Beau Gibson, and Remington White 1.