By SHANNON J. ALLEN The Reporter
GERALDINE — Freshman quarterback/defensive back Jon Beck Wade accounted for four touchdowns — three on offense and one on defense — to power No. 9 Geraldine to a 41-27 triumph over Collinsville in a Class 3A, Region 8 battle Friday night at Coolidge Isbell Field.
Geraldine improved to 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the region standings, while the Panthers dropped to 4-2, 2-2. The Bulldogs have won 14 consecutive games in the rivalry.
Wade’s defensive TD turned the momentum of the penalty-filled contest in Geraldine’s favor in the second quarter.
Mason McAteer’s 4-yard touchdown run with 11:55 left in the second period gave the Panthers a 13-6 lead.
The Panther defense then forced a punt, and Collinsville’s dynamic playmaker, Quintavious Rogers, returned it for a touchdown at the 9:39 mark. However, a holding penalty erased the score and put the ball on the CHS 44-yard line.
On first down, Wade scooped up a Panthers’ fumble and raced 47 yards to the end zone. Alberto Sanchez’s extra point tied it 13-13 with 9:28 on the clock.
Geraldine’s defense forced punts on Collinsville’s next two drives. The second punt covered only 14 yards, giving the Bulldogs possession at the CHS 34.
Wade capped the short drive with a 17-yard TD pass to a wide-open Joe Garcia with 1:44 to go. Sanchez kicked it to 20-13.
Collinsville followed by committing its fourth turnover of the opening half, as Jordon Lankford picked off a pass and returned it 4 yards to the 30 at the 1:08 mark.
After Wade left the game with leg cramps, backup quarterback Braxton Franklin replaced him and tossed a 20-yard scoring pass to Owen Walling with 25.2 seconds remaining. Sanchez’s point-after completed the Bulldogs’ 21-point second quarter.
Geraldine extended its advantage to 34-13 when Lankford broke free for a 44-yard touchdown run with 9:14 to go in the third period.
The Panthers responded with McAteer’s 66-yard TD pass to Rogers. Aaron Herrerra’s PAT trimmed it to 34-20 at the 7:42 mark.
Wade collected Geraldine’s final TD of the night on a 54-yard run where he exhibited some nice moves in the open field. Sanchez nailed the extra point for a 41-20 cushion with 1:47 left in the third.
Collinsville drove for its final touchdown, which came on McAteer’s 1-yard keeper with 7:55 left in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers took over at midfield after partially blocking a Geraldine punt. They reached a first-and-goal at the 10, but Franklin intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it to his 27 to seal the Bulldogs’ victory.
Collinsville scored the first points of the night on McAteer’s 70-yard pass to Rogers, who sprinted past Geraldine’s defense. The Bulldogs blocked the PAT with 4:08 remaining in the first quarter.
Geraldine tied it 6-6 on Wade’s 1-yard TD run with 1:58 left.
Longtime Collinsville statistician John Morgan reported Wade rushed 18 times for 146 yards. Rogers finished with 163 yards receiving, but the Bulldogs limited him to 34 yards on the ground.
Collinsville’s last victory over Geraldine was a 33-9 decision in 1996.
Next week, both the Bulldogs and Panthers continue in Region 8 play.
Geraldine travels to Brindlee Mountain while Collinsville visits Sylvania. Both matchups are Friday, Oct. 11, and are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m.
