Panthers take Hortonville, 17-7

Sherry Houben

Stevens Point Panthers’ win over Hortonville on Friday night at Goerke Field earned the Panthers the Valley Football Association-South Conference championship.

Fans were on the edge of their seats the whole way, watching as Hortonville put up a good fight against on both sides of the ball. SPASH was on the board first with a field goal in the second quarter; then later in the second quarterback Beau Rosenthal connects with Jack Helfand for a 32-yard touchdown, putting Panthers up 10-0.

The Hortonville Polar Bears scored in the third with only 2:50 left in the quarter. But then it was all Panther defense, repeatedly denying Polar Bear first downs, taking three interceptions and blocking a punt.

With less than two minutes left in the tug-of-war game, Gus Turner-Zick runs into end zone with a two-yard run, the insurance TD that the team and fans alike hoped for. An extra point after the TD put the Panthers up 17-7, final.

Coach McAdams credited his defense, saying, “the number of opportunities the defense gave offense over and over was unbelievable.”