Wildcats slip slide past Panthers 14-0

by Jim Woods

jdwoodsassoc@yahoo.com

Finally, an interesting football game for the fans to enjoy. Two good Frontier League football teams in slugfest playing it out for the District Championship. The Louisburg Wildcats and Paola Panthers, evenly matched, battled it out Thursday night with the Wildcats coming out on top 14-0.

It was a prototypical football game, similar to many Paola and Louisburg games in which both talented teams gave their best effort for four quarters. This time it was the Wildcats who prevailed. No one predicted it would have to be played in a muddy quagmire, but the elements had to be overcome by both teams.

When good football teams face off, it most often comes down to 3-4 plays that determine the winner. Senior quarterback Drew Harding was instrumental in all three. A 37 yard pass from Harding to Zach Hildreth, which ended in a missed field goal,

a 57 yard run by Harding to score in the second quarter, and an important 37 yard field position pass to Chris Cook in the third quarter was the difference in the game.

Paola could not answer with matching drives or scores.

As teams advance in the playoffs, and the opponents are equally talented, the one that can throw and catch will have the advantage. That was the case Thursday night. Teams with equal talent can stop the other team from sustaining a running drive. Passing is the advantage, and Drew Harding and the Wildcats proved again that when you can pass and catch and the other team can’t, you are very likely to win.