Coming off their second decisive win of the season last Friday evening in Lincoln City after taking on the Nestucca Bobcats, head coach Chris Higgins and his 2022 Gold Beach High School varsity football team were on the road again last Friday evening traveling to Yoncalla High School, just south of Drain to challenge the North Douglas Warriors.
In what would be the Warriors season opener and Homecoming, a highly motivated North Douglas team came out up for the challenge, making the Panthers work for every yard and earn every point.
Consistent Panther team defense held the Warrior rushing game to 235 yards, their passing game to just 1 yard, and only 18 points in the contest.
After a well orchestrated drive by the Warriors in the first quarter of play, Douglas would strike first, scoring on a 3 yard run to take an early 6-0 lead. But the Panther offense would answer with just over 2:00 minutes left in the period after junior quarterback Jake Westerman, #7, handed the ball to #11, junior running back Nelson Wilstead in a 3rd and 10 situation on their own 37 yard line, and turn the corner and out race the field for a 63 yard touchdown run to take a 6-8 Panther lead after the first period.
After the long touchdown run at the end of the 1st period, the game became very physical, and penalties became a big part of the action, but the Panther defense would establish itself in the 2nd, keeping the Warrior offense out of the endzone and giving opportunities to the Gold Beach offense. The Panthers would take advantage of those opportunities and put the ball in the endzone twice in the period. Wilstead again would break a tackle on the edge and run for 55 yards untouched for another Panther touchdown before quarterback Jake Westerman, #7, would finish off a Gold Beach drive with a 2 yard run of his own to stretch the Panther lead and take a 6-20 lead to the locker room at the half-time break.
In the 3rd period the Warriors went to their run game and pounded the ball down the field behind their big offensive line and put the ball in the endzone to cut the lead to a single possession. Panther quarterback Jake Westerman would answer, taking a designed quarterback run to the right side 67 yards to the endzone and put Gold Beach up 12-28. The Warrior rushing game would get ball across the goal line again late in the 3rd period to close the gap to just 8 points.
Leading 20-28, both teams fought to establish control of the game and penalties began to mount, but the Panther defense would come up big overcoming 18 penalties for 200 yards and keeping the Warriors from scoring in the period. The Gold Beach offense would find the endzone one more time to seal the 18-36 Panther win.
“The game Friday night was definitely a hostile environment” coach Higgins told the Compass, “and this was definitely the most physical team that we have faced so far. We’re going to face that environment from time to time especially on the road ” he continued. “Our kids needed to play in a game like this and learn how to battle for 4 quarters to win. It’s not going to be an easy road for us this year, but if we keep grinding and getting better everyday and keep our team healthy…I love our chances.”
The Panthers look forward to the comforts of home this weekend as the 1-0 Bandon/Pacific Tigers, coming off a 23 point victory over Glide, travel to Gold Beach stadium this Friday night to challenge the Panther’s 3-0 record at 7:00pm.
