Photo: Southside’s Gauge Nesmith (right) avoids St. Clair County’s Austin Anderson as Jake Stewart (75) provides blocking during the Panthers’ 52-3 victory in high school football on September 16 at Barney Hood Stadium. (Chris McCarthy/Messenger)
Southside extended its winning streak to four games with a 52-3 victory over Class 5A, Region 6 rival St. Clair County on September 16 at Barney Hood Stadium.
Leading 17-3 at halftime, the Panthers (4-1, 3-0) scored two touchdowns during the third quarter and three more in the fourth to win going away.
Quarterback Gauge Nesmith finished with 303 total yards and three touchdowns. He was 13 for 20 in passing for 200 yards and two TDs and rushed for 145 yards and a score on eight carries.
Mason Teague carried 15 times for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
Cody Roberts caught six passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns, while Scotty Motes had three receptions for 50 yards.
Southside opened the scoring midway through the first quarter on Teague’s 1-yard TD run. Abdullah Allabassi pushed through the first of his eight extra points, while his 34-yard field goal early in the second period made it 10-0.
The Panther special teams produced a score late in the first half when Tytan Rick blocked a punt and Southside recovered the ball in the end zone for a 17-0 advantage.
The Fighting Saints (0-4, 0-2) kicked a field goal in the final seconds of the half to draw within 17-3.
With the Panther defense shutting out the visitors in the second half, an 8-yard touchdown run by Teague at 10:07 of the third quarter and a 9-yard TD by Nesmith at 5:20 made it 31-3.
Nesmith and Roberts connected for a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes, the first for 21 yards and the second from 17 yards out.
Rich returned an interception for a touchdown with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
Southside visits Boaz this Friday (Sept. 23) in more region action.