Durant battles until the final play in narrow loss to Plant.
The Durant Cougars came up just short Friday night, falling 13-7 to the Plant Panthers in a defensive battle that came down to the final play.
The Cougars had several opportunities, but turnovers, missed chances in the red zone, and a strong second-half rushing attack from the Panthers made the difference.
Plant received the opening kickoff and began its first drive at its own 26-yard line. The Panthers immediately moved the ball, starting with a short pass that turned into a six-yard gain. A strong run up the middle then moved Plant near midfield.
After two more rushing attempts, Durant defensive back Colby Holcomb made an impact by intercepting the Panthers on third down. The Cougars took over near midfield.
Durant quickly moved into Plant territory. After a short run, Sam Themar connected for a first down, followed by a Micah Dixon run that moved the chains again. An encroachment penalty against Plant gave Durant additional yardage.
Themar then kept the ball for a nine-yard gain before Maurice Keene picked up another first down, putting the Cougars inside the Plant 20-yard line. Keene followed with another seven-yard run, but a fumbled snap on the next play brought up fourth down.
Durant attempted a field goal, but the kick missed, allowing Plant to take over at its own 20.
The Panthers quickly picked up a first down before a false-start penalty backed them up five yards. After a short run, Plant called timeout with 2:19 left in the quarter. Following the timeout, an incomplete deep pass created a third-and-long situation, but a short completion turned into a first down after the receiver broke several tackles.
Plant continued to move the ball but was slowed by a one-yard loss and a delay-of-game penalty. A short pass on the final play of the quarter left the game scoreless heading into the second.
Plant began the second quarter facing third-and-10. An incomplete pass forced the Panthers to punt.
The Cougars started their second drive at their own 32-yard line. A penalty backed Durant up five yards, followed by a one-yard loss on the ground. An incomplete pass put the Cougars in third-and-long. A short completion was not enough to move the chains, forcing Durant to punt.
Plant took over with 10:03 remaining in the half.
The Panthers opened with a five-yard completion on a curl route, but a false start erased the gain. Plant responded with a play that moved the offense near midfield before another false start backed the Panthers up five yards.
Three short completions eventually produced another first down. Plant called timeout with 6:19 remaining and continued to march down the field with a combination of runs and passes.
With four minutes left in the half, Plant reached the Durant red zone. A penalty backed the Panthers up 10 yards, and an incomplete pass created second-and-20 from the 30. A 12-yard completion brought up third-and-8 at the 18.
Plant called another timeout with 2:27 remaining. The Panthers’ quarterback kept the ball on third down but came up short, bringing out the field-goal unit.
The Panthers’ kick was good, giving Plant a 3-0 lead.
The Cougars responded with an excellent kickoff return that put them at the 40-yard line. Themar immediately took a shot downfield and connected with King Rivera for a first down.
Themar ran for four yards, moving Durant to the Plant 24. However, the Cougars’ promising drive ended when Themar threw an interception, giving Plant the ball at its own 20.
The Panthers ran for nine yards to begin the drive, but a holding penalty erased the progress. Plant continued running the ball, picking up a big gain that moved the Panthers near midfield with 11 seconds remaining. Another rushing attempt ended the half with Plant holding a 3-0 advantage.
Durant received the ball to begin the second half and started at its own 20 following a touchback. The Cougars fumbled on the first play but recovered, although the mistake cost them four yards.
Themar found Rivera for a quick completion, followed by another pass to Rivera that moved the chains. Dixon added a short run before Themar connected with Rivera for the third time on the drive, resulting in another first down.
Keene broke loose down the left sideline for Durant’s biggest run of the night, taking the Cougars inside the Plant 40. Themar picked up a short gain before Keene continued his strong running with another first down.
Keene added five more yards, putting Durant at the Plant 12. After a timeout, a short run and a bad snap left the Cougars facing fourth down.
Durant decided to go for it, and a pass-interference penalty against Plant gave the Cougars a new set of downs at the 12. Durant called timeout with 4:30 remaining to set up another fourth-down play.
On fourth-and-5, Themar’s pass fell incomplete, and Plant took over.
The Panthers returned to their rushing attack. Back-to-back runs created a third-and-2, and Plant continued pounding the ball on the ground to pick up a first down. Another big run moved the Panthers near midfield, and another rushing attempt resulted in yet another first down.
A Durant facemask penalty helped Plant move into the red zone. The Panthers finished the drive with a rushing touchdown, extending their lead to 10-0.
Durant responded with a short run and a quick completion to Rivera for a first down. Themar connected with Dixon for a short gain before finding Rivera again as the third quarter came to an end.
The Cougars faced third-and-long early in the fourth quarter, but incomplete passes forced them to punt. Durant attempted a fake punt, but it was unsuccessful, giving Plant possession near midfield.
The Panthers continued to lean on the run, quickly reaching midfield before three straight incomplete passes forced them to punt.
The punt took an unexpected turn when officials ruled that Durant had touched the ball. Plant recovered at the Cougars’ 25-yard line, but the Panthers immediately gave the ball back when they fumbled. Durant recovered with 8:15 remaining.
That turnover gave the Cougars an opportunity, and Durant took advantage.
Themar completed a short pass to Dixon before an incompletion brought up third down. Another incomplete pass forced the Cougars into a fourth-down situation, but Themar found Rivera again for a first down near midfield.
Themar connected with Keene for another first down. After a water break, Themar kept the ball and broke off a huge run. A late hit on the play added yardage and put Durant at the Plant 3-yard line.
Themar gained one yard on the next play before Mason Newton punched it into the end zone for the Cougars’ first touchdown of the night. The extra point was good, cutting the deficit to 10-7.
After two short plays, the Panthers faced third-and-7 but connected on a deep pass near midfield for a first down. The Panthers’ quarterback kept the ball twice, with the second run picking up another first down.
Plant continued to run the clock before calling timeout with two minutes remaining. A short completion set up third-and-long, and although the Panthers’ next run came up short, they brought out the field-goal unit.
The kick was good, pushing the Panthers’ lead to 13-7 with just 1:06 remaining.
Durant had one final chance.
Themar ran for eight yards and stepped out of bounds to stop the clock. He found Rivera near midfield for a first down. The Cougars quickly spiked the ball with 43 seconds remaining.
Rivera caught another pass and stepped out of bounds with 36 seconds left, moving Durant inside the Plant 40. After another short completion, Plant called timeout with 32 seconds remaining.
Themar went right back to Rivera, moving the ball near the Plant 30 with 19 seconds left.
An incomplete pass stopped the clock with 12 seconds remaining. Then, a pass-interference penalty against Plant moved Durant to the 13-yard line with eight seconds left.
Another penalty against the Panthers moved the Cougars even closer, leaving Durant with one final play and one second remaining.
Down 13-7, Durant needed a touchdown to win the game.
Themar dropped back and threw the final pass into the end zone, but the ball was intercepted.
The Cougars’ furious fourth-quarter rally came up short, and Plant escaped with a 13-7 victory.
Despite the loss, Durant showed plenty of fight, particularly during the final minutes. Themar and Rivera connected repeatedly during the Cougars’ late comeback attempt, while Keene provided several important runs throughout the game.
In the end, Plant’s ability to control the clock with its rushing attack and capitalize on Durant’s missed opportunities proved to be the difference as the Panthers left with the road victory.
