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Article published Saturday, September 27, 2008
Panthers on a roll: Whitmer's balanced attack buries Libbey

By STEVE JUNGA BLADE SPORTS WRITER

The Libbey football program has come a long way under head coach Eric Henderson but not far enough to give Whitmer a serious challenge.

Plagued by poor field position throughout the game, the Cowboys absorbed a 48-6 City League loss last night at Whitmer Memorial Stadium.

"That's one of the most improved programs that we've seen in the past two years and a team that would have been capable of beating us," Whitmer coach Joe Palka said. "We prepared like crazy for them, and our kids were ready to play."

The Panthers, who have rebounded to win their three CL games after opening 0-3 in nonleague games, were paced by junior quarterback Joe Missler, senior running back Julian Nash and a defense that refused to yield much of anything to Libbey (3-3, 2-1).

"They're bigger, they're stronger and they're faster, and it showed tonight," Henderson said. "Whitmer's a tough team, and the effort that was put out there tonight was a little disappointing. We'll try to regroup and come back next week."

Missler completed 11 of his 18 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half.

Nash added 130 yards on 21 carries and scored four TDs as Whitmer topped Libbey 430-158 in total offense.

"We were very prepared because they had a better record than us, and the coaches kept telling us that all week," Nash said. "We had to step up and make plays. We had good balance tonight. We were able to run and able to pass. I loved the balance."

The Cowboys, who avoided the shutout when A.J. Hayes scored on a one-yard run with 2:42 left in the game, seemed to be playing uphill all game long.

Libbey's average start in its 12 possessions was its own 16 yard line, while Whitmer's dozen drives began, on average, at the Cowboy 46.

"It doesn't always work out like that, but tonight field position was key," Palka said. "They're a better team than what they showed because they were in the hole so much. We didn't really drive the ball that well, but we had such good field position, and that's how we were able to punch it in."

The Panthers jumped out to a 21-0 lead after one quarter. Missler capped a nine-play drive with a 10-yard scoring run just 1:48 into the game, then passed three yards to Nash for the second TD with 1:49 left in the first quarter.

Missler later found Jordan Brown open down the left sideline for 42 yards and a TD on the first play after a Libbey punt for a 21-0 lead late in the period.

Corey Compton's block of a Libbey punt midway into the second quarter set the Panthers up at the Cowboys' 13, and Nash went two yards over right tackle 4:30 before halftime to give Whitmer a 28-0 lead at the break.

"We don't have trouble getting them to believe anymore," said Henderson, who was voted the CL's coach of the year last season. "We really feel like, if we can go out there and cut out the mistakes we've had in the past, we'll hang in there and see what it's like in the fourth quarter.

"But we can't sneak up on teams anymore. Whitmer has a smart staff, and they knew they had to go out and get us right now. We kind of had our heads down at the beginning, and they took advantage of it. That's what a good team does."

Nash added scoring runs of nine and five yards in the third quarter, and Devon Chesney capped the Panther onslaught on a one-yard TD plunge on the final play of the third quarter.

Hayes ran 10 times for 55 yards to lead the Cowboy attack.

Quarterback Garron Griggs was 4-of-11 passing for 33 yards.

"We thought we were a little better than what we showed in the nonleague games," Palka said.

"A couple plays go the other way, and we're 2-1 going into the league. But we're going to be tested these next three weeks against three great opponents [St. John's Jesuit, Rogers, and Central Catholic]. We'll see how far we've come."

Contact Steve Junga at:
sjunga@theblade.com
or  419-724-6461 .