Mojo Wins Tale Of Two Halves

Odessa, TX – Permian utilized 21 unanswered second half points to rally past Harker Heights in a 28-27 come-from-behind victory at Ratliff Stadium on Friday night in a non-district clash.

While the Knights got off to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter… and then a 27-7 halftime advantage, it was the Panthers that stayed the course to rally for their only lead late in the fourth.  After the Mojo offense went three-and-out in the opening possession, Heights put together a 5-play, 40-yard scoring drive that was capped off with a 21-yard touchdown run.  Another Permian three-and-out was followed with a 13-play, 70-yard Knight score to have Mojo trailing by 13 after just 12 minutes of play.

The Panthers narrowed the difference early in the second stanza on a 23-yard TD strike from Rodney Hall to JaQuan Richardson.  Unfortunately, Harker Heights was able to answer with a pair of touchdowns of its own to extend the lead to 27-7 at the halftime break.

After an exchange of punts, Jace Gilliam intercepted a Knight pass to begin the turn of momentum midway into the third quarter.  Juzstyce Lara reached paydirt from two yards out to cap a 12-play, 61-yard scoring drive late in the stanza to make it a 27-14 ballgame.

Just as Harker Heights found its scoring success in the first period, Mojo matched that effort in the fourth quarter.  A 9-play, 85-yard Black Cat scoring drive was completed with Richardson’s diving catch into the endzone for a 31-yard TD to pull Permian to within six points.  With under four minutes to play, the Cats trailed 27-21 but were about to catch a break that would prove fatal to the CenTex visitors.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Knights mishandled the ball and put the pigskin on the turf.  Parker Haynes recovered for the Panthers to setup shop at the Heights 28. The Mojo offense would peel off seven plays to inch closer to the goal line while draining the clock down to just 19 ticks.  Knocking at the doorstep, Lara bulled his way across the goal line with 0:16 to knot the contest at 27-27.  Tate Terry made the extra point attempt to give Mojo the 28-27 victory.

Permian will be back at Ratliff Stadium next week to host former district foe Abilene Cooper in the final non-district game.  It will also be Homecoming for the Panthers.
    

   
SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter
HH – Dylan Plake 21 run (kick failed), 8:42
HH – Plake 3 run (Fletcher kick), 2:15

Second Quarter
OP – JaQuan Richardson 23 pass from Hall (Terry kick), 10:34
HH – Re’Shaun Sanford 1 run (Fletcher kick), 7:41
HH – Sanford 5 run (Fletcher kick), 0:40

Third Quarter
OP – Juzstyce Lara 2 run (Tate Terry kick), 2:01

Fourth Quarter
OP – Richardson 31 pass from Hall (Terry kick), 3:57
OP – Lara 1 run (Terry kick), 0:16