The Eastern Valley Panthers secured their place in another Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) Championship on Saturday, edging out rival Western Delta University in a hard-fought 27-21 victory during the annual River Classic.
The Panthers struck first, orchestrating an eight-play, 75-yard opening drive that concluded with a one-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Marcus Fields. After forcing a quick punt, Eastern Valley pieced together an 11-play march, capped by a 33-yard field goal from kicker Luis Ortega, putting the Panthers ahead by 10.
The Panthers’ defense maintained early momentum, forcing a three-and-out to hand the ball back to their red-hot offense. Three plays later, running back Travis Jordan powered in a score from the one-yard line, extending the lead to 17-0.
Western Delta finally responded in the second quarter, as quarterback Jayden Brooks connected with receiver Tyree Sanders for a 64-yard touchdown, narrowing the gap to 17-7. However, the Braves’ momentum was short-lived. A miscue on a snap near the goal line allowed Eastern Valley to recover the ball.
Wasting no time, Fields launched a 55-yard touchdown strike to wideout Nathaniel Webster, sending the Panthers into halftime with a commanding 24-7 lead.
Western Delta emerged from the break with renewed energy, crafting a seven-play, 75-yard drive finished off by a 44-yard touchdown run from Reggie Porter. The Braves appeared to cut the lead to three midway through the third quarter, but an apparent touchdown was nullified by an illegal forward pass following official review.
Both teams’ offenses stalled until the nine-minute mark of the fourth quarter, when Ortega knocked through a short field goal to make it 27-14. Western Delta responded with a determined 14-play drive, culminating in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Brooks to Sanders, trimming the deficit to six.
Drama ensued in the closing minutes as the Panthers attempted to run out the clock. Fields mishandled a snap, resulting in a fumble that Western Delta recovered near midfield with just over a minute to play. The Braves’ final hope came down to a last-second Hail Mary attempt, but Eastern Valley’s defense held firm, batting the ball away to secure the win.
Fields delivered an efficient performance, completing 15 of 17 passes for 194 yards and two total touchdowns, despite the late fumble. Running back Ahmad Johnson led all rushers with 106 yards on 15 carries, while teammate Daniel Harris added 52 yards on the ground. Webster paced the receiving corps with seven catches for 120 yards and a score.
With the victory, Eastern Valley advances to face Coastal Plains A&M in the GCAC Championship on December 6.
