The Alba-Golden Panthers fell behind early but fought back before falling to Linden-Kildare (L-K) 26-20 Friday night.
It was Linden-Kildare’s first win after back-to-back 0-10 seasons.
The Panthers will regroup and have their home opener Friday night against the Detroit Eagles, who are coming off a 20-6 win over Valiant, Oklahoma.
Down 20-6 at the half, the Panthers made some adjustments and shut down the Tiger offense for most of the second half. Head coach Drew Webster credited John Klump with making some key defensive adjustments at halftime. The Panthers held L-K to just two first downs in the second half.
The offense also got rolling behind senior quarterback Brent Sutton. Webster said Sutton had a strong game and was responsible for around 300 yards of offense.
Alba-Golden had just three possessions in the first half. The Panthers scored on their first possession, punted on the second and lost a fumble on the third.
The Panthers came out strong in the second half as Sutton ran for a score after just two plays. Freshman Dalyn Sandifer then surprised the Tigers with a successful onside kick. Alba-Golden scored again, and all of a sudden it was a 20-20 game in the third quarter.
Webster gave plenty of credit to the offensive line as the Panthers rushed for 377 yards in the game.
Alba-Golden came close to tying the game, or possibly taking the lead, in the final quarter.
The Panthers got a big play down the field on a great catch by Cason Boyd that put the ball around the L-K 10-yard line.
“I still don’t know how he caught it,” Webster said.
The Panthers ran the ball to the 4-yard line, but things went the wrong way from there. An illegal formation penalty followed by a personal foul pushed Alba-Golden all the way back to around the 40.
Despite the loss, the Panthers never let up.
“Our kids fought really hard and never gave up. They battled all the elements. There were some dirty cheap shots, but our kids handled it well,” Webster said. 
Webster said the Panthers had their opportunities and now have to learn to take advantage of what the other team gives them. It was also a physical game, especially for Sutton and the Panther offense.
Webster was pleased with the effort and also had plenty of praise for the Alba-Golden fans who made the trip.
“We won the game everywhere but the scoreboard. I appreciate all the people who traveled to the game. In the 10 years I have been here, that was one of the best crowds we have had,” Webster said.
Webster said the support from the fans, band and cheerleaders, along with the players and coaches on the sideline, made for a positive atmosphere throughout the game.
“They all believe in what we are doing, and it means a lot to our kids to have the whole community supporting what we are doing,” Webster said.
Next up for the Panthers will be the 1-0 Detroit Eagles, who are coming off the 20-6 win over Valiant.
Webster said the Eagles are a talented group with a different look on offense. Detroit uses a non-traditional offensive setup, and its quarterback can make plays from anywhere on the field.
The Panthers did a good job defending the pass against Linden-Kildare and will need another solid effort Friday night.
Alba-Golden will also need to make plays on third down to get the Detroit offense off the field and give the Panther offense more opportunities. Webster is confident Klump will have the defense ready with a good game plan.
Detroit uses a four-man front on defense, but the Panthers feel good about what they were able to accomplish on the ground in the opener. Rushing for 377 yards was a good sign for the Alba-Golden offensive line and running game.
The Panthers’ main focus is to get better each week and be more consistent.
“We must continue to do the little things right. I believe this Friday night we are going to have a real barn-burner of a game,” Webster said.
Kickoff at Panther Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m.