Panthers fall 14-13 to Irish in season opener

CHAPMAN - Stymied offensively in the second half, the Concordia Panthers suffered a 14-13 North Central Kansas League loss to the Chapman Irish in the season opener for both teams on Friday night.
Concordia scored touchdowns on its first two offensive possessions in taking a 13-6 lead on Chapman in the opening half.
Hampered by turnovers and penalties, the Panthers were limited to just 20 yards of total offense over the final quarters.
Chapman, capitalizing on a Concordia fumble, got a touchdown and two-point conversion late in the third quarter to go up 14-13 and held on for the win.
Concordia took the opening kickoff and marched 64 yards in 12 plays.
Caleb Hanson ripped off a 64-yard touchdown run on the Panthers' first play from scrimmage, that was negated by a holding penalty.
Concordia, after picking up two first downs, was facing a fourth down and 11 when quarterback Braeden Primeaux completed a 12-yard pass to Payton Breese to keep the drive alive.
It would be the only completion of the game for Primeaux, who finished 1 of 7.
Three plays later, fullback Mason Eickmann found a hole and scored on an 8-yard run.
Parker Jackson's extra point attempt was blocked, and Concordia led 6-0.
Chapman responded by going 76 yards in five plays.
On a third down and 18 play, Kelan Gruver hooked up with Cooper Lewis on a 65-yard touchdown pass with 52 seconds remaining in the first quarter to tie the game at 6-6.
Concordia stopped the Irish on a two-point conversion attempt.
The Panthers then went 65 yards on nine running plays.
On a third down and 12 play, Drew Sterrett was able to break a couple of tackles and race down the sideline for a 35-yard touchdown run with 8:03 to play in the first half.
Parker added the extra point to put Concordia up 13-6.
Taking over on its own 42-yard line, Chapman would move into Concordia territory before a fumble halted the drive.
The Panthers came up with a fourth down stop on Chapman's first possession of the second half, but gave the ball back on a fumble.
Concordia forced a punt, but fumbled the ball back to the Irish on the 22-yard line.
The Panthers had the Irish in a fourth down situation when Gruver hooked up with Ian Suther on a 17-yard touchdown pass with 2:47 left in the third quarter.
Gruver then threw to Lewis for the two-point conversion to give the Irish their first lead at 14-13.
A muff on the kickoff left the Panthers with the ball on their own 1-yard line.
Concordia would be forced to punt.
The Panthers would recover a fumble at their own 37-yard line but couldn't convert on a fourth down and eight and turned the ball over on downs.
After an exchange of punts, the Irish would move into Concordia territory.
The Panthers came up with a stop on fourth down and took over on their own 19-yard line with 1:37 on the clock.
Trying to come up with a big play, Primeaux would have a deep pass intercepted by Chapman.
The Irish were then able to run out the clock.
Concordia finished the game with 206 yards rushing.
Sterrett carried 10 times for 84 yards. Eickmann added 73 yards on 11 carries.
Linebacker Dane Cleveland finished with eight tackles in the game.
The Panthers will be on the road again Friday night to take on the Abilene Cowboys.
Abilene opened its season with a 28-14 North Central Kansas League road win over Marysville.
“They will want to throw the ball, like they have in past years,” Concordia coach Jordan Echer said of the Cowboys. “They return nine of their starters on offense and nine starters on defense. They have line, fast wide receivers and big, tall linemen. We will need to play physically and sound.”