By Deunte Marshall/Sports Correspondent
Southside (4-1, 2-1) used speed and power to defeat Springville, 41-7, last Friday at Barney Hood Stadium.
“We control our own destiny throughout the season,” said Southside head coach Marty Smith. “Springville helped us a lot because they run the same things as Arab to get us ready for next week, but we have to cut down the penalties.”
Blake Devine scampered 61 yards to pay dirt with 10:40 remaining in the quarter for the Panthers’ first score of the night.
On the next Panther possession, Springville (1-3, 1- 2) committed back-to-back personal foul penalties to give Southside the ball on the Tiger 15-yard line. A five-yard touchdown run from Dantley Coker with 5:02 remaining gave the Panthers a 13-0 lead.
The Panthers took to the air in the he second quarter with an 11-yard score from quarterback Patrick Lister to Coker.
Springville drove down to the Panther 4 yard line on the ensuing drive, but Southside’s Hunter Armstrong recovered a fumble.
The Panther offense took over, and on a third down and 9 on the Tiger 20, a roughing the passer penalty gave the Panthers life. Lister then threw a 13-yard touchdown strike to Devine with 42 seconds to go in the first half.
Springville got on the board off its first drive of the second half with Zachery Mayo’s touchdown run with 8:03 in the quarter.
Southside answered back with a with a Lister touchdown pass to Austin Abernathy with 5:19 remaining in the third quarter.
Holt Keeling ended the scoring with a touchdown run with 1:03 remaining in the third.
Coker rushed for 174 yards on 17 carries, while Devine ran five times for 93 yards. Devine also caught three passes for 77 yards.
Lister completed 5-of-9 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns.
Armstrong led the Panthers in tackles with 12, followed by Ryan Clark with eight, Daulton Coker and Chase Nobles with seven each and Tyler Carr with six.
The Panthers return to Class 5A, Region 7 action on Friday with a visit to Arab.