If the Pana Panthers were riding high off their 45-25 takedown of the Litchfield Purple Panthers last Thursday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. Pana was dealt a 79-34 loss at the hands of St. Anthony on Saturday. Pana was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 51-20.
When it comes to explaining why Pana lost, one person who can't be blamed is Lilly Rochkes. Despite the final result, she scored 12 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Rochkes has scored all season.
Pana has been struggling recently, as they've lost 17 of their last 20 matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-22 record this season. As for St. Anthony, the win (which was their tenth in a row) raised their record to 20-6.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Pana will stay at home for another game and welcome Newton at 5:30 p.m. on January 29th. Newton presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Pana in Illinois (Newton is ranked 188th, while Pana is ranked 503rd). As for St. Anthony, they will be playing in front of their home fans against North Clay/Clay City at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. North Clay/Clay City is no doubt hoping to put an end to a five-game streak of away losses.
