By Dr. John E. Morgan

It started with a scare from the kicking game.  And then a slow start for the offense.  But the defense was there all night long in Collinsville’s 32-6 win over Holly Pond.

With rain beginning and lightning in the distance, the Broncos Caleb Jones returned the opening kickoff 77 yards for a first and goal at the four.  And Collinsville’s defense rose up to stop them with Domminick Brockitt sacking the quarterback for a thirteen yard loss.   Collinsville’s first three possessions came to little with the defense holding on led by Nicholas Brockitt’s interception.

In the second quarter, the rain stopped and the Panther offense went on a fourteen play, 92 yard drive that ate almost seven minutes off the clock with Grant Jones connecting with Dallas Reed on a fourteen yard pass for the touchdown.

Collinsville would score four more touchdowns on its next two possessions (yes, two possessions and four touchdowns).  Reed returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown and a punt 53 yards for a touchdown.  Daniel Mann also returned a punt for a touchdown going 53 yards for the Panthers final score half way through the fourth quarter.  The offense did have another nice drive to start the third quarter going 59 yards in eight plays climaxed by Trenton Nash’s two yard run.  The Panthers’ five touchdowns – a pass, a rush, an interception return and two punt returns.

The defense stayed strong all night.  They forced three interceptions, Reed’s and Brockitt’s and the final one by Elijah Avila who was playing defensive back with a cast on his arm.  The defense repeatedly rushed and sacked the quarterback, holding the Broncos to sixteen negative yards on the ground.

Collinsville Coach Ernie Willingham said, “The defense played reeeeally well.  Holly Pond has some good players, and I thought that we bottled them up all night.”  Speaking of the offense, he said, “We moved the ball well all over the field.  But we are doing the same stuff – a fumble, penalties.  We kept shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Dallas Reed had a quite a night.  10 rushes for 52 yards, five receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown, the 53 yard interception return for a touchdown and the 48 yard punt return for a touchdown.  Three touchdowns and 212 all purpose yards.

Trenton Nash rushed for 62 yards and a TD.  Trey Bowers made his 2015 debut with 44 yards rushing.  The Panthers had the ball for almost 27 minutes and outgained the Broncos 245 yards to 117 yards.

Collinsville must now get ready to host Cleveland who beat Fyffe by a touchdown last week.  “Cleveland is coming to town and I know we better be ready.  They are good, they just beat Fyffe, and we’ve got a big challenge.  And we are looking forward to playing them”, said Willingham.