Following a 36-21 comeback win against crosstown rival McIntosh, the Starr’s Mill JV football team looked to win two games in a row in their match against Sandy Creek. However, the Panthers were shut out by the Patriots, losing 18-0.

“We had opportunities that we didn’t take advantage of,” coach Zach Mann said. “We’re a young team, and we need to learn how to play four quarters.”

Sophomore Luke Mullins led the defense with seven tackles and one blocked pass, and freshman running back Juleus Holborough had seven carries.

The first quarter was slow for the Mill, as they attempted to gain yards by using multiple options to run the ball. Carries by freshmen Colin Bartek, Holborough, and Brandon Mathis were unsuccessful in gaining significant yardage, turning the ball over on downs. However, Starr’s Mill was able to quickly regain possession due to solid play from the defensive line and linebackers.

The Panthers’ second drive was over after only three plays. Two unsuccessful carries and an incomplete pass by Bartek left the Mill on their fourth down. After giving possession back to the Patriots, the defense delivered once again, as they were able to force a bad pass on the third down. Starr’s Mill made two plays before time ran out, with freshman Joseph Curry and Mathis running the ball, ending the quarter on the second down with nine yards to go, and the score still tied 0-0.

“Our line was decent,” Holborough said. “We’ve just got to learn our blocks and our keys.”

The second quarter opened with a short pass from Bartek to Holborough for a three yard gain. After that play, Starr’s Mill was unable to get a first down, and punted the ball back to Sandy Creek. The Patriots could not make any progress due to the Mill’s defense. A blocked pass and tackle by sophomore Luke Mullins left Sandy Creek on their third down with 16 yards to go. Another blocked pass by sophomore Joey Sulkowski left the opponents on the fourth down. After a timeout, the Patriots opted to pass the ball. The pass was incomplete, and the Panthers regained possession.

Starr’s Mill did not make it far down the field on their next drive. Three carries for loss put them on their fourth down with 12 yards to go. The Panthers were able to recover the punt and got the first down. A carry by freshman Barrett Schmidlkofer gave the team a second down, and a short pass by Bartek to Mathis on the third down gained them five yards. Another pass by Bartek to freshman Malachi Townsend was incomplete, but a pass interference was called on the Patriots, giving Starr’s Mill a first down. The Panthers could not capitalize off of the penalty, turning the ball over after three plays. Sandy Creek closed out the half strong with a 50-yard run, but the defense stopped the run before the Patriots could score.

“There were mistakes on both sides of the ball,” Mullins said. “We need to eliminate those mistakes.”

The second half started strong for the defense, forcing the Patriots to punt after pushing them back eight yards. However, the offense was not able to take advantage of the opportunity given to them by the defense, as they turned the ball over after only four plays. Sandy Creek scored on their next drive, and another unsuccessful possession by the Mill closed the quarter with the Panthers trailing the Patriots 6-0.

The fourth quarter opened with another strong defensive possession for Starr’s Mill. An interception by freshman Bennett Via gave the Panthers the ball at the 32 yard line. The offense fell apart after getting the ball, as Bartek threw another incomplete pass, and was sacked. Townsend finally caught a pass from Bartek, but was stripped by a Patriots defender.

Sandy Creek had possession of the ball for the majority of the final quarter, including a seven play drive that concluded with a pass for a touchdown. The Panthers’ next possession ended quickly after Bartek threw an interception that was ran for another touchdown. Starr’s Mill could not score on their next drive, ending the game with a final score of 18-0.

“We didn’t quit,” Mann said. “We tried to scratch and claw to find a way into the endzone or get the ball back, and that’s a good sign.”

The JV Panthers travel to downtown Fayetteville for their next game at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 27 against the Fayette County Tigers.