By Kevin HIghtower
CD Sophomores – Seeing Is Believing
Believe the hype! This team is as advertised. The nationally ranked CD Panthers Sophomore team (#8 in the nation) dominated in all three phases of the game in a 52-0 win over the SWAC Cougars in their home opener.
Kaden Powers got the party started with a 30-yard scoring run on the 1st play from scrimmage. On the next offensive series, Powers broke loose for a 60-yard score. Powers wasn’t done there. He hit receivers Joey Thomas for two touchdown passes and teammate Omarion Dean for another.
Defensively, the Panthers’ Daniel Haynes had a strip and score, and teammate Kellon Hightower scooped up fumble and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. CD running back Relen Witherspoon opened the 3rd quarter with a 60-yard kickoff return. CD’s Oteko Mwambe was relentless on the field recovering multiple onside kicks and scoring an extra point.
Although they didn’t put any points on the board, SWAC’s Sir David Jones was a load on offense. His Beast mode style of running was fun to watch and really made to Panthers defense work to get stops.
CD Freshmen Make Statement
The CD Panthers Freshman squad put the league on notice with an impressive 40-12 win over the SWAC Cougars. Offensively the Panthers spread the ball around with J’andre Castillo, Rashawn Tymony, Cayne Rodriquez, Kyle Betehtel and Dash Jones all finding ways to score.
SWAC didn’t go quietly. As Jaylon Pitre and Kaican Carter found ways to put points on the board for SWAC. Haylee Sweet did everything she could to keep SWAC in the game by making defensive plays all over the field for the Cougars. But in the end, it wasn’t enough to slow down the Panthers’ high octane offense.
The Panthers (2-0) will have a tough task next week as they face the 2-0 Puget Sound Lancers freshman team who are coming off an impressive win of their own. The winner of next weekend’s game will have bragging rights and should be considered the team to beat in the Freshmen division.
