Saratoga nearly takesdown Grizzlies

The Saratoga Panthers went to Cowley on Friday to face the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies in the playoffs.

Saratoga played a tough game against the Grizzlies, but ran out of time as it ended 40-44.

The first team to score was Rocky Mountain in the 1st quarter. They got the extra point and it was 0-7.

The 2nd quarter had Teegan Love run in a touchdown. A two point conversion pass to Noah Rimmer from Love had the Panthers up 8-7.

A few minutes later in the 2nd quarter, the Grizzlies scored a touchdown and got the conversion and the lead changed hands 8-13. Rocky Mountain got another touchdown with 6 minutes left in the quarter. The conversion was good and the Grizzlies were ahead 8-21.

The Panthers pulled off a dramatic score with 18 seconds left when Love hit Rimmer for a touchdown. The conversion was no good and Saratoga was behind 14-21.

The Grizzlies were not done. Although no time was left on the clock, a 41 yard field goal was hit.

At halftime, Rocky Mountain led 14-24.

Logan Wright, the head coach of the Panthers, said he felt the team was keeping up with Grizzlies and that Saratoga was going to have a good game.

"Rocky Mountain was tough, with 32 kids on the team, 10 of them being seniors, but I felt we could keep up physically," Wright said. "The team did too, even though the score was not in our favor at the half."

Wright was correct. The Panthers were the first to score in the 3rd quarter. Love ran in a touch down and a conversion to make the score 22-24.

Rocky Mountain was not to be kept down. With 8:53 left in the quarter, the Grizzlies scored again and got the extra point. The score was 22-31.

"Rocky Mountain kept rotating six or seven guys in, which was tough," Wright said. "I might have been able to sub in a player or two here and there for offense or defense, but I was so proud of our kids playing so hard without many breaks."

Love scored with a little over a minute left in the 3rd quarter, although the Panthers did not get the conversion. The score was 28-31.

Early in the 4th quarter, Rocky Mountain ran in the ball to score and kicked the extra point making it 28-38.

Love got another rushing touching down with a little over seven minutes left in the game. The conversion was stopped. The Panthers were only behind 34-38.

"I was feeling that we might pull it off the way were playing," Wright said.

With 2:30 left, Rocky Mountain scored again. The extra kick was no good and the score was 34-44.

"We didn't quit. We marched 95 yards down the field and with 34 seconds left, Teegan hit Noah to score," Wright said. "I was so proud that this team just would not quit."

Wright said an onside kick was attempted, but the Panthers didn't succeed in getting the ball.

Rocky Mountain won as the seconds wound down.

"We did an excellent job of controlling the ball," Wright said. "We had 410 yards of total offense to their 370. We had 29 first downs to their 20. Penalties we had one for five yards to their seven for 65 yards."

Wright said the rushing game of Rocky Mountain was stronger and the missed opportunities with extra points made the difference.

"We had the ball ten more minutes than they did, so we really were in contention," Wright said.

He said the team came together after the Moorcroft game. Wright told the team that everyone had to step up.

"Everyone did," Wright said. "Not only Teegan and Noah, but Geoffrey (Johnson), Gavin (Bartlett), Slayd (Daley), Heston (Fisher); well all the kids did. I can't say enough how they all improved each week. We were a really physical team."

Wright had strong praise for Zach Standard.

"He is one of the top defensive players in nine-man, if not actually the best," Wright said. "He did it all and never asked for a sub. A truly great football player."

Wright will miss his seniors, but he is happy with the younger players coming up.

"Tuker Carricato is tough and gets praise from his team mates all the time," Wright said.

The Panther coach remembers when he first came to coach the team three years ago and there were only eight players. Six were from Saratoga.

"This senior class has been with me in so many ways and I am so proud of them,"

Wright said, "Noah led the state in receiving again. That is back-to-back years. I am probably a little biased when I say he and Teegan both are top notch players and human beings."

He said this year's Panther team has every reason to be proud of what they accomplished this season.

"I am super proud of this team, because they worked their way to this point," Wright said. "You can't ask anymore as a coach. Tonight we are going to watch the game together for closure."

Wright paused and then said, "Probably more for me than them. They are such great guys and I am going to miss the ones who were with me from when we started this program together."