Saturday Rewind: Panthers ‘just a different team’ in picking up first victory

PALMYRA, Mo. — Kevin Miles is constantly telling the Palmyra football players no single game defines their season.

“We just have to keep plugging away,” the veteran coach said.

Even he knows the Panthers hear that as coachspeak.

“Sometimes they look at you and go, ‘Oh, shoot, Coach Miles, shut the hell up. You’re just saying that because that’s what you’re supposed to say,’” he said. “But for them to come out last night and play as dominant as they did tells you they understand the need to keep working for it. So I think that’s good for their confidence.”

The Panthers picked up their first victory of the season, manhandling state-ranked Macon 40-21 at Hugh Dunn Field in the Clarence Cannon Conference opener. The Tigers were ranked No. 5 in Class 2, but the Panthers took away Macon’s top threat.

The Tigers’ Chrisjen Riekeberg caught just one pass for 40 yards and had two carries for minus-7 yards.

“We did a phenomenal job limiting what they could do,” Miles said.

At the same time, the Panthers imposed their will.

Palmyra rushed for 400 yards and averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Nolyn Richards churned out 190 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, while quarterback Collin Arch, playing his first game of the season, had 124 yards and five touchdowns on 24 carries.

“We were just a different team,” Miles said.

Arch’s presence helps. A state champion wrestler and all-conference defensive back, he missed the first two weeks for off-the-field concerns but returned with a vengeance.

“He played a really phenomenal game,” Miles said.

It’s the perfect boost with Brookfield and Monroe City looming the next two weeks.

“It’s a great way to start conference play and gives these guys a boost of confidence,” Miles said.