The Blanco Panther football team was on the road again for the third time in the past four weeks as they traveled to San Antonio to take on the San Antonio Christian Lions in what proved to be one of the best games in the San Antonio area so far this season as Blanco came home with a 36 to 34 victory after battling through four overtimes.

The Panthers began the game on a roll, scoring in both the first and second quarters to jump out to an early 14 to 0 lead as QB Tanner Rogers had a hand in both scores. The first TD of the night came on a Rogers one yard run with just 31 seconds remaining in the opening quarter of play. Rogers then connected on a 36-yard pass play to SE Quinn Dillard on Blanco’s next possession in the opening minutes of the second quarter. Sr. TJ Raby remained perfect on the year, converting both PATs.

Although the game looked to be well at hand for the Panthers, the Lions roared back, scoring 21 unanswered points. The Lions’ first touchdown came on a 16-yard run by Seth Kelly. Next, Kelly scored on an 83-yard pass play from Turner Goudge. Finally, Kelly put the Lions ahead for the first time all night on a 17-yard run. Of the three PATs, SAC converted one extra point attempt and one two point conversion.

With the Panthers trailing by a touchdown, Blanco mounted a 10 play drive midway through the fourth quarter and looked to tie the game on a 1-yard run by Sam Isenberg, followed by another Raby PAT. As regulation came to an end, the Panthers and Lions looked towards overtime for the win.

In the first overtime, Blanco scored first on their second play as Rogers threw a strike to Alex Palos for a 24-yard TD. Raby kicked the extra point and the Panthers led 28 to 21. However, SAC answered with a TD pass of their own from Goudge to Corey Robinson from 13 yards out on the Lions’ fifth play. Goudge then tied the game with the extra point.

Finally, after both defenses put up strong goal line stands through the second and third overtimes, the Lions scored first in the fourth OT on a 25-yard pass from Goudge to Robinson. However, the Panther defense forced an incomplete pass on the two-point conversion to leave the score at 34 to 28 in favor of SAC. Blanco then took over and lost six and four yards respectively on their first two plays to set up a third and 20. With the game on the line, Blanco completed a perfect “hook and ladder” play with Rogers passing to Dillard, who then lateralled to Colton Childress who picked up 23 yards and a key first down. Then, just two plays later, Rogers found Dillard in the back of the end zone for an eight yard score to knot the game at 34. On the ensuing two-point conversion, Rogers rolled to his right and hit Childress for the game winning points as the Panthers evened their record at 2 and 2 with a 36 to 34 victory.

Offensively, the Panthers tallied over 360 yards on the night and pick up 20 first downs. FB Tim Goodman led all rushers with a game high 26 carries and 152 yards. Rogers added 152 yards through the air, completing passes to Childress, Dillard, Palos and Matt Pepper.

On the defensive side of the ball, Blanco bent but did not break, giving up over 370 yards and 19 first downs while forcing four punts and putting up two key goal line stands and a Quaid Mayfield interception, which he returned 41 yards to end another Lions’ scoring threat.

Blanco will return home this week for their final non-district game as they host the 4 and 0 Sonora Broncos. Kick-off is set for 7:30pm.