SAN JOSE — In their third game of the season, the Bay Area Panthers found themselves going up against the Northern Arizona Wranglers.
The first possession for the Panthers went nowhere but that changed quickly as defensive end #9 Tevaughn Grant scored on a pick six off a pass by the Wranglers’ QB, #12 CJ Fowler.
Axel Perez’s drop kick PAT gave the Panthers a quick 8-0 lead within the opening minutes of the first quarter.
The Wranglers answered back with a score of their own on their next possession.
A combination of run and pass plays moved Northern Arizona to the Panthers’ 5-yard line where CJ Fowler found his running back, #28 Marvin Kinsey Jr, for a pass into the end zone.
Kicker Brandon Fischer’s extra point sailed through the uprights. Panthers wide receiver #14 Arsiah McCorker Sr. fielded the ensuing kickoff and ran it 50 yards into the end zone for another Bay Area score. Perez attempted another successful drop kick PAT giving the Panthers a 16-7 lead.
Still in the second quarter, Panthers defensive back, #1 Trae Meadows intercepted a CJ Fowler pass in the end zone, which placed the ball on the 5-yard line.
Marching down the short field, Panthers QB #12 Josh Jones, found one of his wide receivers, #5 Tyrese Chambers open for a 15-yard touchdown.
Two point drop kick conversion failed but the Panthers found themselves in a commanding lead 22-7 going into halftime.
Northern Arizona elected to receive after halftime and took advantage of their first possession of the third quarter with CJ Fowler hooking up with his running back once again for a 13-yard touchdown.
On the Panthers’ next possession, QB Josh Jones handed off to another Josh, wide receiver #2 Josh Tomas, in the backfield where Tomas was able to get to the edge for a 2-yard score.
Axel Perez’s kickoff was returned by the Wranglers’ #25 wide receiver David Elder, to the Panthers’ five yard line.
Fowler handed off to Elder for a one yard touchdown. With the extra point, the Wranglers still trailed the Panthers, 29-21.
With only an eight point lead, the Panthers needed to put more points on the board. Using Josh Jones’ mobility and accuracy, Josh Tomas would put another six points on a 6-yard rush into the end zone.
A late Panthers penalty on the Tomas score would tack on 15 yards on the ensuing kickoff. Northern Arizona’s David Elder returned the kickoff into Panthers territory and moved the ball an extra fifteen yards from the previous penalty.
Within the Panthers’ 10 yard line, QB CJ Fowler attempted several errant passes into the end zone with no luck. One of those passes was picked off by Panthers DB #7 Joe Foucha who ran it back 50 yards down the sideline for a touchdown! Now, the Panthers took a commanding 43-21 lead into the fourth quarter.
On the Panthers’ next possession, QB Josh Jones orchestrated a drive onto Northern Arizona’s 15-yard where he found an open receiver, Tyrese Chambers, in the left corner of the end zone.
The Wranglers, however, did not go down without a fight.
On their next possession, QB CJ Fowler hooked up once again with his WR David Elder for a 4-yard TD.
That proved to be Northern Arizona’s last score with time running out.
