Playoff Fever Brewing for Local Pigskin and Soccer Fans
Trevor Phipps
Even though the Panthers didn’t get to start their 2024 season under the famous Friday Night Lights, they still put on quite a show during their inaugural home opener on a warm Saturday afternoon, with play that warmed up the hearts of area fans bigtime.
The sun was shining with temperatures nearly reaching 80 degrees when the Panthers hit the field. They didn’t disappoint the many supporters who turned out for the opening pigskin contest and set a new record for the biggest slaughter in recent history.
The Panthers started scoring quickly in the game and had points lighting up the scoreboard before some fans even arrived. The game turned into a crowd pleaser, as the Panthers completely dominated the extremely one-sided match that ended in a 62 to zip shutout. In fact, the Panthers won by a bigger margin than they have recorded in recent history.
The team looked absolutely perfect on both sides of the ball as the Lincoln Lancers struggled. Going into the game, the Lancers were ranked 40 statewide in 2A versus the Panthers’ number 25 ranking. But, during the game it seemed that the two teams were very unevenly matched.
The Panthers did a good job at moving the ball down the field on every drive with a nice mix of passing and running plays. On defense, the boys in green forced turnovers frequently and kept the Lancers from doing anything productive with the ball.
Senior quarterback Marqus Schoenberger made a good impression during his first game of the season and led the offensive assault. Schoenberger made six completions out of seven attempts for 74 yards and a touchdown. When he kept the ball on the ground, the quarterback ran seven times for 71 yards and six more touchdowns.
Senior Trey Reed led the team in rushing during their first match with eight carries for 90 yards and a touchdown. Senior Aidan Hood also had a seven-yard carry for a touchdown.
When it came to receiving senior Parker Shreeve and junior Nathan Summeril proved to be their quarterback’s favorite targets. Shreeve had two receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown, while Summeril caught the ball twice and picked up a total of 33 yards.
On defense, senior Kadyn Lewis picked up the most tackles with 10. Junior Max Widtfeldt had the team’s only sack for a loss of two yards.
The Panthers played their second game last Friday against the Salida Spartans, but the results were not yet in by press time. This Friday night, the Panthers play their third home game in a row against the 0-1 Colorado Springs Christian Lions.
Next week, the team hits the road to face off against the 0-1 Rye Thunderbolts.
Woodland Park Boys’ Soccer
In addition to the excitement the Panther football team has given fans, many also have their eyes on the boys’ soccer team this season. Last year, the team had their most successful season in recent history to really put the program on the regional map.
During the postseason last year, the boys hosted their first ever playoff game at their home field. And even though the Panthers just barely lost the postseason match by a single point, they are back this year with a desire to get another shot at the playoffs.
In their opening game, they prevailed with a 1-0 victory. Junior Nick Thime scored the only goal during the game which currently makes him the team’s top scorer. Junior goaltender Noah Magistrelli looked impressive and played the entire shutout game. He picked up a total of six saves.
This Tuesday the teams hits the road to challenge the 1-2 Mesa Ridge Grizzlies. The Panthers come back home for a match this Saturday against the 0-2 Pueblo East Eagles at noon.
Woodland Park Softball
Of all the local sports’ teams, the Lady Panthers have played the most actual games, reaping the benefits of the warm weather to kick off their season. The team came out of the gates with a big 11-1 win against Holyoke, but then they have struggled since.
After their opener the girls lost five games in a row, but they still have not yet played a league match. The team currently has a 1-5 overall record, but they have a 0-0 league record which means they are still in first place in their 3A Tri-Peaks II League.
Sophomore Christine Renteria has led the team on batting with a .571 batting average, capped by eight hits, 10 runs and four RBIs. Junior Heaven Eurton has been the team’s top pitcher and currently sports a 2-1 record.
The girls play on the road this Tuesday against the 1-2 Palmer Terrors. The Lady Panthers then come back home on Thursday to face the 3-4 Coronado Cougars. The team plays a double header at home this Saturday against the 2-2 The Classical Academy (TCA) Titans.
Woodland Park Volleyball
The Lady Panther volleyball stars have also been back in the courts trying to return to the powerhouse team of several years ago. Like their fellow softball athletes, they had a good start by winning their first match, but have dropped a few games since.
In fact, the team lost three in a row after their first match including one league game. Currently, the girls have a 1-3 overall record and a 0-1 league record. They play their next league match this Tuesday on the road against the 4-1 Banning Lewis Academy Stallions.
The team plays another away match on Thursday against the 0-2 Coronado Cougars. The Lady Panthers play their next home game at WPHS on Sept. 17 which is a league match against the 1-2 La Junta Tigers.
