MARSHALL– The Tracy Milroy Balaton Panthers football team was defeated by the Springfield Tigers 40-28 in the Section 3A championship on Friday evening.

It was a rough start for the Panthers as Trevor Smith three an interception on the opening drive. Setting up a 69 yard pass by Springfield on their second offensive play to take the early lead, 7-0. On the next possession for the Panthers, they would be pinned deep in their territory to punt. The punt would only go 17 yards and set up the Tigers with great field position to score again. However, the Tigers would fumbled the ball on a rushing play at the two yard line, allowing the Panthers to recover it.

With new life, TMB started to drive the ball down the field led by Caden Anderson. The drive would end though with another interception thrown by Smith. The Tigers would then take the ball down and punch it in going up 14-0 towards the end of the first quarter.

Then the Panthers would respond.

On a critical 4th and goal situation, Smith would drop back and throw his first touchdown pass of the game to Jaret Ankrum from six yards out trimming the lead to 14-6. After forcing another Tiger fumble and recovering it, the Panthers would drive the ball down and tie up the game 14 all. The touchdown was scored by Caden Anderson, who was coming off an 151 yard rushing performance against MCC.

Then with less than 30 seconds left in the half, the Tigers threw a long pass that was tipped up in the air by a Panthers defender then caught by a Springfield receiver and ran in for a touchdown. The Tigers took a 20-14 lead into halftime with receiving the ball in the second half.

Springfield would receive the opening possession and March down the field scoring a touchdown to extend their lead to 28-14.

The Panthers would respond with another calculated drive anchored by Smith spreading the ball around to multiple receivers. The drive was capped off by Anderson’s second touchdown run trimming the lead to six, 28-22.

Six is the closest TMB would get.On the ensuing possession, Springfield would score another touchdown pushing the lead back to 12, 34-22. After the Tigers defense held firm and made the Panthers turn it over on downs, Springfield would throw a late touchdown pass. The pass came on a 4th and 12 play, putting the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter.

Smith finished with 167 yards passing, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Anderson finished with 156 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Ankrum would lead the team in receptions (5) and have 47 yards receiving with two touchdowns in the game.

“We didn’t play our best football and credit that to Springfield,” Panthers head coach Jason Kainz said. “We knew coming in that they could strike anywhere on the field. They made the plays today and we just didn’t make enough. This senior group is special and that’s why we are all kind of shocked that this is over. I’ve been coaching for 25 years and all of our seniors have been special but this is an unique group and they will be missed.”

TMB has eight seniors and we would like to recognize them on a wonderful final football season.

Johnathan Erbes, Carter Campbell, Blake Kruger, Caden Anderson, Tucker Varpness, Travis Willhite, Tanner Hauger and Nicholas Willhite.