Panthers Defeat Cardinals
By John Earp
The Jal Junior High Football Team faced off against their arch rivals the Eunice Cardinals Monday evening in Panther Stadium. The game got off to a fast start, with both teams scoring a touchdown in the first few minutes of the game. The game then turned into a slow defensive slog, with neither team scoring throughout the rest of the first half. At halftime, the score was tied at 8. Quarterback Zaine Vega ran a quarterback keeper in from the 5-yard line with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Two-point conversion was successful. Jal led 16-8.
The Panther Defense prevented the Cardinals from getting a touchdown in the latter minutes of the third quarter, taking over possession on downs on the Panther 2-yard line. The Panther Offense then proceeded to march down the field with a solid combination of passing and running. At the end of the third quarter, the Panthers had the ball on the Cardinal 12-yard line on second down. Zaine Vega ran the ball to the right side of the field, getting a first down on the 2-yard line. On the next play, Vega ran the ball over to the opposite side of the field for a touchdown. Point-after kick was good. Jal led 23-8 with 7:16 remaining in the game. Isaac Locklar intercepted a Eunice pass with a minute and a half remaining, giving possession back to the Panthers. Zaine Vega turned up the field for a 70-yard touchdown run with under a minute remaining in the game. Point after was unsuccessful. Jal led 29-8, which was the final score. The JJHS Panther Football Team is 5-1 for the season, with their only loss being to Eunice on September 6th. The Cardinals are also 5-1.