Panthers Edge Knights in South Tampa Thriller

On a week when most teams schedule a non-district game, the Plant Panthers and Robinson Knights schedule a cross-town fistfight.

And it was just that.

The atmosphere on Friday night was electric. Parking and seats were almost non-existent as standing spectators lined the circumference of Jack Peters Field, three and four deep in some places. The game had all the hallmarks of a classic rivalry.

The Panthers were flagged, for the second year in a row, before the game even started. Last year, it was due to the players running out and taunting the Robinson coaches. This year, it was because the Panthers chose the moment when the Robinson marching band was starting a drumroll before the national anthem to run out onto the field.

The Knights drew first blood when senior Justin Madison scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-two. The Panthers answered with a field goal and a short touchdown run from senior Wes Bullock.

The Panthers went into their bag of tricks for the next score, sending junior linebacker Andrew Beck on a receiver's rout and Beck scored to put the Panthers ahead 17-6. The Knights struck right back when senior quarterback Zain Gilmore broke a 70-yard touchdown run. The Panthers added another field goal and led 20-14 at the half.

The second half opened with Robinson closing the gap to 20-17 with a field goal. The Knights then took their first lead since the opening drive with a Gilmore plunge from one yard out. The Knights led 24-20 with 2:43 left to play.

It was too much time for the Panther offense as they drove down the field and capped the drive with a remarkable improvisation from senior quarterback Aaron Banks. Banks rolled to his right for a pass, saw nothing, cut back to his left and weaved his way through the Kinghts defense for the go-ahead touchdown.

The Knights got it back with time on the clock but failed to convert on four tries, giving it back to the Panthers, who respectfully knelt down on the next two plays to run out the clock.

The Panthers came away 26-24 but got a closer shave than they've had in years at the hands of the Knights. Both teams head into the post season at 9-1 and host playoff games next Friday.