Staff Reports
PISGAH – The Collinsville Panthers gave seventh-ranked Pisgah all it could handle Thursday night, but ultimately the Eagles pulled away for a 40-28 victory in a battle of unbeaten Class 2A, Region 7 football teams.
The two teams battled back and forth throughout the game. Pisgah (3-0, 2-0) scored the lone touchdown in the opening quarter on a Mason Holcomb 51-yard touchdown pass to Jakob Kirby. The extra point was no good, keeping the score at 6-0.
Collinsville (2-1, 1-1) took a 14-6 lead in the second quarter on Mason McAteer’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Gavin Lang and Keaton DeBoard’s 63-yard touchdown run. Pisgah countered with Legion McCrary’s 37-yard touchdown run with 4:26 remaining in the first half. The try for two was no good, keeping the score at 14-12 in favor of the Panthers.
The Eagles regained the lead just before halftime on Jackson Smalley’s 2-yard run. Holcomb ran in for the 2-point conversion, giving Pisgah a 20-14 advantage heading into the locker room.
Collinsville scored two touchdowns at the beginning of the second half to take a 28-20 lead midway through the third quarter. McAteer connected with Fernando Padilla on a 20-yard pass near the 7-minute mark, then DeBoard scored on a 6-yard run two minutes later.
But then Pisgah’s Fox Tinker returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to bring the score to 28-26. The Eagle defense held on the next possession, then the offense went on a 15-play, 86-yard drive to grab a 34-28 lead with less than 10 minutes left in the game. Holcomb hooked up with Luke Gilbert on a 19-yard touchdown pass, then Holcomb hit Grant Smith for the 2-point conversion to cap the drive.
Collinsville responded with a 10-play drive that ended on the 29-yard line. Pisgah added a Holcomb-to-Kirby 18-yard touchdown pass for the final score.
Holcomb passed for 247 yards and three touchdowns, with over 100 of those yards and all three scores to Kirby. McCrary ran for 127 yards an a touchdown.
Deboard led the Panthers with 175 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. McAteer connected on 14-of-30 pass attempts for 121 yards and two scores. He also ran 11 times for 35 yards.
Collinsville hosts rival Sand Rock next Friday. Pisgah is at Ider.