The Panthers improved to 3-0 on the season with their 34-13 win over Modesto at Hughes Stadium. The Panthers scored on the first possession of the game driving 88 yards in 8 plays as QB, Jayden Machado connect with WR, Jordan Moore for a 16 yard TD (Elijah Siemering kicked the point after). Modesto evened things up on a 33 yard interception return for a TD and that's how the 1st quarter would come to an end.
The only score of the 2nd quarter would be on a 25 yard TD run by Isaiah Montanez (the point after was no good) to put SCC up 13-7 heading to the locker rooms. In the 3rd quarter it would be the Panthers putting the only points on the board again as Jayden Machado found Jordan Moore again, this time for a 35 yard TD (Elijah Siemering with the point after).
Modesto tried to gain some momentum at the end of the 3rd and into the 4th as they scored on a 5 yard TD run with 14:56 left in the game. After a punt and a short field the Pirates only had to drive 39 yards and did so in 6 plays. A failed extra point had the Panthers up 20-13. Then, on the ensuing kickoff, Tayvian Cunningham did it again (had a 95 yard kickoff return last week against Contra Costa), as he took the kickoff and returned it 96 yards for the touchdown. Elijah Siemering knocked through the extra point and City led 27-13. The Pirates fumbled on their next possession and TJ TiaTia picked it up for the Panthers and returned it 19 yards to the Pirates 18 yard line. Three plays later, Jayden Machado would find Roy Sanders in the end zone for a 4 yard touchdown. Elijah Siemering again nailed the extra point and the Panthers led 34-13 which is how the game would end.
Every time the Pirates offense tried to climb back into it, Sac City's defense would deny them. The Panthers defense forced the Pirates to punt 5 times, turn the ball over on downs 3 times, had 3 interceptions, and recovered 2 fumbles in the game. TJ TiaTia had the big fumble recovery down the stretch and Chris Le forced a fumble on the Pirates 1st drive of the game that went out of bounds through the back of the end zone for a Panther touchback. Christian McFarland, Jalen Smith and Rodney Spidell each had an interception in the win. Darrell Robinson and Terrance March led the team with 8 tackles each, followed by Christian McFarland with 7 and Peyton Bailey with 6 tackles.
Offensively, Jayden Machado completed 15 of 28 passes for 266 yards and 3 TD's, while Jordan Moore led the receivers with 5 catches for 98 yards and 2 TD's. Carl Marc and Robert Harrison had some big grabs for the Panthers as well…they both caught 3 passes for 50 yards. The Panthers had to grind it out on the ground as they only averaged 2.2 yards a carry and ended up with 89 yards officially on 41 attempts. That number was impacted by the 2 sacks the Pirates recorded for a total of 23 negative yards.
Sac City will travel to Santa Rosa to take on the Bear Cubs next Friday, September 22nd at 7pm. The Bear Cubs are 0-3, but have played some top Nor-Cal teams in Butte and Fresno City. They lost earlier today to San Joaquin Delta by a score of 38-28. Live stats will be provided by Santa Rosa by clicking here.
