By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
The Renton Rangers 12U team seems to have found their momentum, and as a result, they secured a significant win against Heir 11U before heading into their matchup against the 1-2 CD Panther team. Coming off of back-to-back losses, the Panthers were eager to get back on track with a win against Renton.
In their matchup against Heir 11U, Renton displayed confidence and aggressiveness on both sides of the football. Their defense allowed just one touchdown, credited to numerous tackles for losses, forced fumbles, and pass deflections that helped regain possession quickly. Led by Demetrios Gordon, Jr., whose speed and ability to make the right reads resulted in him scoring a season-high four touchdowns in one game, and Khalil Lowe, who recorded his first touchdown catch of the season, the Rangers looked like a rejuvenated team.
Their opponent, the CD Panthers, opened this year offensively with a season-high 41 points in a win against the Heir 11U team, but since then, they hit an early-season slump.
From the opening kickoff, Renton made it clear they were there to dominate, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Rangers recorded a tackle in the CD Panthers’ own endzone, resulting in a safety and giving them an early 2-0 lead. Following their defensive stop, it was time for the offense to capitalize on the momentum, and quarterback Noah Beyen did just that.
Beyen, standing confidently in pass protection, launched a 47-yard pass downfield to wide receiver Jediah Pennington for the game’s opening touchdown, with Jayce Williams completing the extra point to give the Rangers a 9-0 lead going into the second quarter. Throughout the majority of the second quarter, Renton’s defense continued to dominate, from the line of scrimmage to fundamental tackling, not allowing extra yards and recording tackles for a loss.
Renton’s dominance on defense translated into continued success on offense. With quarterback Beyen making the right reads and Coach Darryl Gant calling plays that suited the team’s personnel, the Rangers had the recipe for success. The combination of the two allowed Demetrios Gordon Jr. to break free past the Panther defenders into the endzone for a touchdown, with Beyen adding the extra point, giving the Rangers a commanding 16-0 lead as the first half was coming to a close.
Facing a 16-point deficit, the CD Panthers offense needed to respond quickly if they wanted to attempt a comeback and secure a victory against Renton. They did just that, finding their rhythm just before halftime. The CD Panthers put together a drive that kept Renton’s defense off balance, with quarterback De’Vion Frazier leading the way, gaining necessary yards, moving the chains, and stopping the clock by getting out of bounds—an excellent display of execution from both coaches and players.
The Panthers’ ability to execute in such a limited time on the game clock resulted in a touchdown, cutting their deficit to 16-6.
Despite appearing to be in control of the game throughout the first half on both offense and defense, the Renton Rangers did not become complacent with their double-digit lead. This mindset permeated from top to bottom and helped maintain the momentum in their favor. Despite giving up two touchdowns to CD Panthers wide receivers Lonzell Hall and Jayden Stewart, Renton’s defense, for the second straight week, held their opponents to under 20 points.
Gordon added his second rushing touchdown, and Khalil Lowe’s touchdown secured a 28-19 victory for the Rangers. Scoring 20 or more points in consecutive weeks, Renton is now on a two-game winning streak, which they’ll put to the test next week against 5 Star. The CD Panthers, now 1-3, look to regroup against Gridiron at Judkins for their Homecoming.
