The Pond Creek-Hunter Panthers will venture away from home to take on the Oaks-Mission Warriors at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Oaks-Mission took a loss in their last contest and will be looking to turn the tables on Pond Creek-Hunter, who comes in off a win.
Pond Creek-Hunter's defense heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Ringwood 58-0. That 58 point margin sets a new team best for the Panthers this season.
Pond Creek-Hunter's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Tegan Cowherd, who rushed for 49 yards and one score, and also threw for 80 yards and one touchdown. Laker Easley was another key back, gaining 76 total yards and two touchdowns.
Pond Creek-Hunter didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off four passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Kyson Davis and Kohl Chavez. Davis also hauled in a receiving touchdown, marking his first of the season. He got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 50 points the game before, Oaks-Mission was a bit more limited in their game on Friday. They took a blow against Medford, falling 56-6. The last quarter was a mere formality, since the game's final score was reached by the end of the third quarter.
Special teams was responsible for all of the team's points. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Carmello Williamson, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
The win (which was Pond Creek-Hunter's third in a row) raised their record to 3-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 7.3 points on average over those games. As for Oaks-Mission, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-2.
Thursday's contest might be decided on the ground. Pond Creek-Hunter has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 195.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Oaks-Mission struggles in that department as they've been averaging 177 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Everything came up roses for Pond Creek-Hunter against Oaks-Mission in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 44-14 win. In that game, the Panthers amassed a halftime lead of 29-0, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Thursday.
