The Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers proved they can get the job done with their ground game.
Running back Reggie Elie ran for 162 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers overcame the South Delta Sun Devils 35-14 in a playoff wildcard game Nov. 12 at Cloverdale Athletic Park.
Elie’s 162 yards in the contest exactly doubled his average yards per game from the regular season (81).
Tweedy’s QB McCord Leeson was 7 of 9 passing, throwing for 143 yards and one TD. Lesson also rushed for two TDs to round out the Panthers scoring.
Lord Tweedsmuir jumped out to a 21-0 lead on TDs by Nate Swing (64-yard TD pass), Leeson (1-yard QB dive), and Elie (25-yard run).
The Sun Devils got eight points back with four minutes to go in the second quarter when QB Kenny Scott launched a 33-yard bomb to connect with Declan Dunn. Dunn caught the ball on the two-yard line and then spun into the endzone for six points. The Sun Devils then added the two-point conversion on a short pass.
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After a failed onside kick from South Delta, Lord Tweedsmuir had great field position, but the Panthers were forced to punt after a big sack.
Tweedsmuir’s DB Dallas Weismiller ended any hope for late, first-half heroics from South Delta after he intercepted a deep pass from Scott. Scott was under extreme pressure from linebacker Jaxon Allen and Scott was forced to put up a low percentage throw. Weismiller picked the offering unchallenged after Scott underthrew his wideout Ben Holmes.
After halftime, the Sun Devils added six points in the third quarter to make the score 21-14.
But the fourth quarter belonged to the Panthers as they put up 14 points on two rushing touchdowns. Reggie Elie added a touchdown run from about 15 yards out, while Leeson ran in a 10-yard quarterback keeper.
With the win, Lord Tweedsmuir will face the Notre Dame Jugglers next week in the AAA provincial quarterfinals after Notre Dame dominated Mt. Boucherie in a 49-0 win.
The quarterfinal game kicks off at 1 p.m. Nov. 20 at Notre Dame. The two teams last met in the semifinals in 2019 with the Panthers winning that contest before going on to lose the provincial final to Vancouver College.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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