The Todd County Central Rebels find themselves in need of regrouping as the regular season came to an end Friday night. The Rebels saw the Russellville Panthers erupt for 27 second half points to break open a close game at the half and then roll to a 33-0 win at Rhea Stadium.
The game started out like it was going to be a tough, down to the wire kind of game. The Panthers got the early lead when Jaquis Todd caught a 50-yard pass from Jovari Gamble, after Gamble took a handoff from Lennon Ries, to give the Panthers a 6-0 lead with still 7:48 to go in the opening quarter.
But that would turn out to be the only action on the scoreboard in the opening half.
Russellville recovered a squib on the ensuing kickoff but was unable to take advantage of the opportunity.
After the Panthers punted the ball away, Todd Central drove all the way down to the Russellville 21 yard line before turning the ball over on an interception. The two teams traded the ball back and forth until the Panthers punted the ball away with 9:40 to go in the half. The Rebels then went on a drive of over nine minutes, getting all the way down to the Panthers’ 16 yard line, before turning the ball over for the second time in the half, this time on a fumble, as the teams went to the break with Russellville still holding a 6-0 lead.
When the teams came out of the locker room for the second half, it was all Panthers for the rest of the night.
On the second play of the 3rd quarter, Jovari Gamble took an option pitch from Lennon Ries and bolted 61 yards to make it a 12-0 Panther lead.
Again, the Rebels look to be building some momentum on their next possession, but that momentum would be short-lived. After picking up a 1st down on a fake punt near midfield, Todd Central fumbled the ball away on the very next play at the Panther 11-yard line.
Russellville made the Rebels pay for that mistake when Gamble scored on a 14 yard run less than two minutes later to extend the lead to 19-0. Gamble very nearly had another big play inside of the final two minutes of the third quarter when he picked off a Rebel pass at the 15-yard line and ran it back 85 yards for an apparent score. However, the Panthers were flagged for someone on the far sideline coming onto the field during the return and interfering with an official who was trying to follow the play going down the field.
Russellville sealed the game away in the 4th quarter with an 18-yard pass from Ries to Todd and a 34 yard run by Josh Allen to reach the final score of 33-0.
Todd County Central finished the night with 109 yards rushing, Orrin Scott led the way with 44 yards, while Omarion Riddick added 40 yards.
Through the air, Todd Central had only 76 yards on the night, with three interceptions on the game. Preston Moore through for 51 yards, while Nate Reding threw for 25 additional yards.
Miscues cost the Rebels significantly. Todd Central was penalized nine times for 65 yards, and the Rebels had three interceptions, two fumbles, and two mishandled squib Jovari Gamble, who rushed for 130 yards on just nine carries, rushed for two scores, passed for a score, and came up with a drive stopping interception. Chevis Elliot rushed for 91 yards for the Panthers.
Through the air, Lennon Ries was 8 of 16 for 159 yards and a touchdown.
Todd Central ends the regular season at 3-4 and will open the playoffs on the road next Friday night.
Russellville improves to 5-3 heading into next week’s first round of the Class A playoffs.
