The Tug Valley Panthers jumped on top early, but the undefeated Van Bulldogs scored 40 unanswered points to take a 48-34 win on Friday at Van.
The Panthers (6-4) jumped out to a 21-0 lead after the first quarter. Bryson Elia got the Panthers on the board with a 10-yard touchdown run. Jaxon Nenni-Mills then hit Brady Brewer on a 20-yard touchdown pass. Adam Slone added a 4-yard touchdown run to put Tug Valley in control.
The Bulldogs (10-0) scored 20 points in the second quarter, highlighted by a 48-yard Joseph Stewart touchdown run to make it 21-20 at the half. Van then scored another 20 points to take control in the third period. Steward added two more touchdowns in the frame.
Tug Valley scored on the next kick off as Tanner Urconis received the kick and raced back 80 yards to make it 40-28 heading into the final period.
Stewart then added his 4th touchdown of the night to make it 48-28.
Elijah Fluty then found Brewer on a 41-yard touchdown pass for the Panthers making it a 48-34 final score.
Nenni-Mills was 8-of-16 passing for 105 yards and 1 touchdown. Fluty was 5-of-6 passing for 77 yards and 1 touchdown.
Elia had 11 carries for 47 yards and 1 touchdown. Slone had 24 yards and 1 touchdown on 8 carries.
Brewer led the Panther receivers with 4 catches for 72 yards and 2 touchdowns. Urconis had 1 catch for 36 yards. Julian Vance added 1 catch for 20 yards. Ashton Davis added 2 catches for 14 yards. Elia had 3 catches for 14 yards. Hubert Marcum registered 1 catch for 13 yards. Slone had a catch for 12 yards.
