Saturday Rewind: Quick answer helps Panthers add exclamation point to strong second half

PALMYRA, Mo. — At halftime Friday night, Palmyra football coach Kevin Miles understood why the Panthers hadn’t been able to gain any separation against Brookfield.

“They’re a big, physical team and they were beating us up front,” Miles said.

When it mattered most in the second half, that was no longer the case.

The Bulldogs trimmed the Panthers’ lead to 14-6 with 7:46 remaining in regulation on the strength of a 47-yard touchdown pass. Brookfield attempted an onside kick, which was recovered by Palmyra’s Ryan McKeown.

Three plays later, the Panthers were in the end zone. Collin Arch’s 30-yard pass to Landyn Smith was followed by a 24-yard run by Arch to set up Nolyn Richards’ 1-yard touchdown plunge that punctuated a 23-6 victory in Clarence Cannon Conference action.

“I think they were like, ‘Hey, we’re in this,’” Miles said. “And then, ‘Bam.’ All it takes is that. It kind of shows the explosiveness of our team and our kids.”

It allows the Panthers to take back-to-back victories into the Mayor’s Cup showdown next Friday night against state-ranked Monroe City.

“This is going to be a tough, tough battle,” Miles said. “But our kids are excited, and I think we’re playing well.”

The Panthers also know how to change the tone of a game.

They led just 7-0 at halftime against Brookfield and knew they hadn’t played well. The Panthers responded by churning out 223 of their 321 total yards in the second half.

“Going into half with our kids, their dobbers were down and they just looked beat,” Miles said. “We didn’t yell at them. We just kind of talked to them, and they came out in the second half and just played different. They were kind of like, ‘Crap, Coach is right.’ We told them you guys have to get off the ball and be more physical.

“The way they bowed their back and the way they kept battling and going really impressed me and really made me feel good about my guys.”