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The Georgiana Panthers shutout the Florala Wildcats Friday night, ending the game at 44-0. The Panthers, ranked No. 10 in the 1A division, traveled to the twentieth-ranked Wildcat’s home field. 

The Panther’s head coach Berry Bess said being a player-led team aids in Georgiana’s success. 

“The way we were able to achieve the win over Florala was due to the leadership on this team,” Bess said. “We still have a ways to go, but we are in the phase of going from coach led to player led. The competition level within the team is what drives us.”

The Panther’s first touchdown was a three yard run made by No. 3 Jacquese Abner in the first quarter. Abner also ran in an impressive 50 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. 

Georgiana’s quarterback, No. 10 Jacobie Morgan, showed up for the Panthers in the Friday night game. In the second quarter, he completed a 49 yard pass, a 19 yard touchdown pass, and ran in a two point conversion. In the fourth quarter Morgan ran in a 35 yard touchdown and completed a two point conversion pass. 

Bess explained it’s a race to the football.

“Defensively it’s a race to the football, each player is trying to get there first, they’re trying to force turnovers, whether it’s forcing fumbles or catching interceptions,” Bess said. “They all want to make a play within the reins of our systems.”

Another impressive player of the night was No. 17 Jalen Crenshaw who caught a 19 yard touchdown pass and made a 49 yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter. 

The last touchdown of the night was made by No. 2 Cam Miles in a 32 yard run into the end zone in the last quarter, and the final two point conversion was ran in by No. 19 Bernard McCaster ending the night with 44-0. 

Other notable players of the night was No. 12 Kaveon Miles who made an interception in the first quarter, caught a 49 yard pass in the second quarter and a two point conversion pass in the last quarter. The Panther’s two sacks of the night were made by No. 5 Demetrius Watson and No. 11 Fred Curry. A Florala fumble was recovered by No. 6 Jay Smith in the second quarter, and No. 18 Ledarrius Allen caught an interception and ran it 28 yards in the third quarter. 

Bess said next week’s game against Kinston will not be an easy one. 

“This week’s game will be physical, Kinston has had tough hard-nosed kids every year that we have faced them, I don’t expect anything different this year,” Bess said. “Coach Free and his staff do a great job of preparing them. As a team we have to match their physicality and take it to them before they get started.”

The Panthers will kickoff against 28 ranked Kinston on Thursday Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. in Georgiana.