Alba-Golden and Kerens staged an offensive battle as both teams moved the ball up and down the field before the Bobcats pulled away in the second half for a 56-36 victory.
Senior Alba-Golden quarterback Brett Sutton and Kerens sophomore quarterback Malachi Jordan led their respective offenses, with both finding success on the ground.
Kerens jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Jordan scored on a 42-yard run to give the Bobcats the two-touchdown advantage, but Sutton answered with a 66-yard touchdown run. A successful two-point conversion cut the Kerens lead to 14-8.
Alba-Golden struck again when Sutton connected with Cason Boyd for a touchdown. The Panthers converted another two-point attempt to take a 16-14 lead into the second quarter.
Kerens responded with 26 points in the second period. After the Panthers fell behind 26-16, Sutton scored on a 25-yard run to cut the deficit to 26-22.
Two plays later, Jordan broke loose for a 45-yard touchdown run, putting the Bobcats ahead 34-22.
Sutton answered again, scoring on a 21-yard run with 46 seconds remaining in the half to make it 34-28. Jordan responded with another touchdown with nine seconds left, sending Kerens into halftime with a 40-28 lead.
The scoring slowed in the second half. Alba-Golden added a third-quarter touchdown and two-point conversion to pull within four, 40-36, heading into the final 12 minutes.
Those would be the Panthers’ final points. Jordan found the end zone again to extend the Kerens lead to 48-36, and the Bobcats added one more score to produce the 56-36 final.
The loss dropped Alba-Golden to 1-4 overall and 0-1 in district play.
Head coach Drew Webster said the Panthers need to find more consistency and learn to finish games.
“We were right there near the end. That’s something we have to learn to do, and that is finish games,” Webster said.
Sutton set a school record with 281 rushing yards on 27 carries, according to Webster. He scored four rushing touchdowns. Boyd finished with three receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown.
The Panthers travel to Frankston this week to face the 4-0 Indians, who are coming off a 49-16 win over Como-Pickton.
Frankston opened the season with a 61-12 victory over Winona before defeating Beckville 48-40. The Indians’ game against Grapeland was canceled, and Frankston closed out its nondistrict schedule with a 53-3 victory over Iola.
Through four games, Frankston is averaging nearly 53 points per game while allowing about 19.
Webster said Frankston’s experience and senior leadership will present a challenge for the Panthers.
“They have a lot of good senior leadership, and it shows with their discipline on the field. They had a good run in the playoffs, going two deep last year. They have a lot of experience and savvy. But our guys will do what they do. They will show up and play their tails off. They know we are going to play them tough,” Webster said.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday in Frankston.