(Geronimo) — The Navarro Panthers got a win in their final tune up before a bye-week and district play with a 28-7 victory over the Giddings Buffaloes at Erwin Lee Field in Geronimo on Friday night. The Buffaloes got on the board first in the first quarter when quarterback Luke Linder found Cade Patschke on a 5 yard scoring strike. The Panthers would answer with a 25 yard touchdown run by junior running back Landun Taylor early in the second to cut the lead to 7-6. Taylor would add another TD run late in the 1st half from 4 yards out capping a long drive for Navarro. The touchdown was set up by a long run from junior Xavier Cropper that took the ball inside the 5.
In the 3rd quarter, the Panthers scored three times to put the game away. Senior quarterback Bryce Nall hit pay-dirt on a 2 yard touchdown run to increase the Navarro lead to 18-7. Panthers kicker Sam Sneed executed a successful onside kick following the TD and on the very next play, Nall scampered 51 yards to the end-zone to put the Panthers up 25-7. The junior Sneed would close out the scoring in the 3rd quarter with a 29 yard field into the wind. The score held up the rest of the way to give the Panthers the 28-7 win.
Following the game, Panther head coach Rod Blount was complimentary of the team’s offensive output including the long run from his quarterback Nall.
“We love explosive plays like that, but what we’re built on is driving the field. I think we had a couple of 12, 15 play drives and that’s what we love doing. Take away the ball (so) that their offense is sitting on the sideline (and) not producing. That was good. We just got to clean it up. It’s something to build on.”
Defensively, Navarro got great efforts from Taylor and Beau Brumley along the defensive line as the Panthers piled up a number of sacks on the night. Nall added an interception and junior safety Gabriel Rangel had multiple tackles and a sack on the night for the Navarro secondary.
The Panthers improved to 2-3 on the season. Navarro has a bye-week next week and will start District 13-4A play in two weeks at Lago Vista.
Area High School Football Scoreboard