Panthers leave it on the field against 4th ranked Eagles

RANGELY | The Panther football team put on a good show in the first half, in its final home game of the season on Yeager Field last Friday, against the visiting Gilpin County Eagles but they could not prevent the fourth ranked Eagles from coming back in the second half to win the game 36-28. Rangely will play its final game of the season Saturday in Collbran against the Plateau Valley Cowboys.
“The Panthers gave the Eagles all we had,” Rangely head coach Paul Fortunato said of the game against the Eagles. “We came out slapping Gilpin in the face and outscored them 28-24 in the first half.”
The Panthers scored in the first quarter, when junior Devin Ramirez caught a pass from classmate Drew Brannon for a 31-yard touchdown but Rangely trailed 8-16 after the first quarter of play. Rangely lit up the scoreboard in the second quarter when sophomore running back Tytus Coombs rushed for three touchdowns, while CJ Lucero and Trenton Files added two-point conversions to give their team a 28-24 lead at halftime.
“The second half was dominated by the Eagles and we fell 36-28,” Coach Fortunato said. “The Panthers played a great game and left it all on the field that night.”
Brannon completed seven of 21 passes for 118 yards and one touchdown, with four of his passes completed to Ramirez, who finished with 100 yards receiving and 132 yards rushing. Files caught two passes and Lucero caught one. Coombs caught a pass and ran with the ball 13 times, gaining 92 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
Freshman Anthony Lujan led the Panthers with 14 tackles, Coombs was in on 11 and junior Grady Nielsen was in on 10 and he recovered a fumble. Ramirez was in on nine tackles and intercepted a pass, while Files recorded six tackles.
Coach Fortunato said his JV team traveled to Collbran, Monday and “played a tough fought game, with Anthony Lujan doing all of the scoring in a 14-27 loss.”
Coach Fortunato and the Panthers would appreciate fan support in Collbran this Saturday, when they take on the Plateau Valley Cowboys at 1 p.m.