Panthers run past Mustangs

RANGELY — The Rangely Panthers football team won in Kremmling defeating the West Grand Mustangs. It was West Grand’s homecoming game and the Panthers rained on their parade by winning in both volleyball and football. The win was only the second of the season but it was a good one, as Rangely had only beat West Grand in two of the last 12 match-ups. The Panthers handled the Mustangs 40-20.
The scoring was started by West Grand in the first quarter on a 43-yard pass that caught the safety looking into the backfield. Rangely moved the football on two drives in the first quarter but were denied on both attempts. One drive ended on the one-yard line. In the second quarter, Rangely got on the board with a 63-yard pass from Kanden Brady to Mark Perzinski. Perzinski caught the post between the safeties and outran the defense to the end zone. Perzinski had 94 yards receiving on the evening. Michael Morton added the extra point and the Panthers led 7-6. The next score was also through the air with a seven-yard pass to Adam Dahl. Morton added the kick and the halftime score was 14-6.
In the second half, the proud Mustangs came right back. Rangely received the kick-off but the Mustang defense stepped up and stopped us. West Grand then marched down the field, with the help of another long pass to the sideline. The score came on a 10-yard run and the Mustangs pulled the score to 14-12. The Panthers then decided to put the game away. They did it on the ground with great running from Cole Barlow. Barlow ran 17 times on the night and had 155 yards. The offensive line of Michael Morton, Ron Urie, Kindal Cushman, Blake Mecham and Nathan Pierce started to control the game and opened up the holes for Barlow. Still in the third quarter, Barlow broke a 61-yard run for a touchdown and Morton added his third kick of the evening – 21-12.
In the fourth, the Panthers scored three touchdowns in three minutes and got the JV team on the field. The first score was Kanden Brady with a one-yard sneak behind a great line surge. Next came Travis Witherell who broke on a 56-yard run. This was the largest chunk of Witherell’s 74 yards on the evening. The final Panther score was Kanden Brady to Adam Dahl for the second time of the night on a 39-yard pass. Brady threw for 260 yards on the night and Dahl had 111 yards receiving. The JV team then took over and did a good job moving the ball on the Mustang varsity. West Grand did score once more on a nine-yard pass to take the score to 40-20.
The final action for the Panthers will be this week at home against Paonia. Game time is 7 p.m.