Close the Deal: Panthers secure win over Bryan with dominant performance

Cody Wulf steps through a tackle during Week 1's win at Springfield. / Pride of the Panthers

By JEREMY SCHNEIDER

IMA SPORTS

For eight months, the mantra “Close the Deal” has been drilled into the Maumee football players.

Panthers coach Evan Karchner knows if last year’s Panthers had closed out two of their five losses, the end of the season could have looked much different. Maumee could have been 7-3 and hosted a home playoff game.

Instead, Maumee lost to Bryan and Otsego by a combined 12 points.

In last Friday’s rematch with the Golden Bears, that mantra was never too far from anyone’s mind.

“We lost at home (to Bryan) by seven last year, and that one hurt,” senior lineman Pierce Simpson said. “We came here, we did our work, we blew them out.”

Unlike last year, the Panthers effectively closed the deal in the second quarter, going up for six touchdowns on their way to a convincing 56-12 win over Bryan (0-2).

Maumee is determined to not let last year’s close losses repeat themselves.

“It’s been a big thing, we say it a lot” Karchner said. “I say it even to the young guys. When we put them out there, we have to have confidence in them.

“We did it in the weight room, we did it in the summer with mat drills. It means something to our guys. They took it personally last year. I’m glad we can step up and win games like this.”

Through two games, the Panthers (2-0) have scored 97 points and allowed only 20. In fact, the first-line defense has yet to allow an opponent to score.

Maumee went up 42-0 midway through the second quarter, thanks to a lethal mix of run and pass.

Keishon Midcalf opened the scoring with a 61-yard sprint through the middle of the defense late in the first quarter. He added a 26-yard scoring run in the second quarter.

Midcalf finished with 121 rushing yards on 10 carries. Cody Wulf added 31 yards on seven rushes, including a 19-yard TD, and Carson Graetz had a 35-yard TD rush.

“It was good to get a lot of guys touches, a lot of guys success,” Karchner said. “It was nice to take the load off Keishon and Cody, especially with how hot it was. … It was good for their health for the long run.”

Simpson said having running backs like Wulf and Midcalf certainly makes the offensive line’s job easier.

“It takes a lot of pressure off,” Simpson said. “There are times we know we made mistakes up front and we get an 80-yard touchdown. It feels good, but we know we still have to do our job up front.”

Lining up at right tackle, Simpson is one of four first-year varsity starters on the line, along with Ryan Patterson, Michael Conrad and Robbie Burlew. Only Espn Hurt returned from last year’s starting five.

Karchner saw improvement from the Week 1 win at Springfield to the Bryan win, and now it’s on the line to continue its improvement. Simpson, for one, knows they’re up for the challenge.

“It was rough at first, we didn’t know who was playing where, but now we’ve got in the groove,” Simpson said.

Read More: Panthers Leave No Doubts in Win at Bryan

The night also belonged to a sophomore playing in his second varsity game. Eli Dodson caught five passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns, covering 74, 58 and 34 yards.

Ben Kubicz passed for 260 yards, 8-of-12 with three scores and no interceptions.

Next up for Maumee is its 2024 home opener on Friday night, when the Panthers host Bowsher (0-2) at 7 p.m. The Blue Racers lost to Genoa, 38-8, in Week 2.

Photos courtesy of Pride of the Panthers

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