Panthers Prevail Over Cougars

The Annapolis Panthers opened their 2010 football season with a 27-14 win over the Chesapeake Cougars, but it wasn't easy — and it wasn't pretty.

Many of the big gains the Panthers' offense made were nullified by penalties. Throw in the occasional turnover and an inconsistent kicking game and the score stayed close throughout much of the game. However, Chesapeake never led and almost matched Annapolis penalty for penalty.

When asked after the game how he planned to cut down on the penalties that so often hurt his Panthers, Coach Brian Brown said, "We go over the same things . . . and we aren't going to stop going over them."

Despite turnovers, Chesapeake was able to stay within one score until the last minute of the first half when a short punt gave the Panthers possession at Chesapeake's 43-yard line with 61 seconds remaining.

Annapolis quarterback Brandon Johnson ran a draw for a short gain and then pitched to Tajuan Watson who ran to the 30-yard line for a first down. Johnson spiked the ball to stop the clock with 15 seconds remaining. On what seemed likely to be the last play of the half, Johnson eluded the pass rush and threw a swing pass to Keith Collins who raced upfield untouched — only to be tackled at the 1-yard line with 1 second left.

Annapolis called a timeout to preserve that precious second and used it to score a touchdown on Johnson's short pass that seemed to take the Cougars by surprise. They ran in the 2-point conversion to end the half with a comfortable 21-7 lead.

Having gained some breathing space on the scoreboard, Annapolis started the second half with two holding calls and a sack of Johnson that pushed them back to the shadow of their own end zone. Annapolis' punt from their own end zone was blocked out of bounds at the Annapolis 6-yard line by Chesapeake's Brian Musgrove. Two runs up the middle by Walt Robinson led to a touchdown. After the extra point, the Cougars were only trailing by a touchdown, 21-14.

After Annapolis returned the ensuing kickoff to their 38-yard line, the Panther offense — Johnson in particular — showed just how explosive they could be when they're not stopped by their own penalties. After his own scramble and runs by Watson and fullback Shawn Woodlin, Johnson bought time in the backfield and completed a 23-yard strike to tight end Delonte Joyce for a first down at Chesapeake's 25-yard line.

Two plays later, Johnson teamed up with Watson and completed a 20-yard pass for the game's final score as the extra point was blocked.

The teams traded possessions for the balance of the game with the Panthers' offense moving the ball enough to take time off the clock and the defense stifling any offensive threat from Chesapeake.

Watson intercepted a McDonald pass, only to have what appeared to be a touchdown negated by yet another penalty, this time a block in the back. The interception stood, but the Panthers fumbled the ball back to Chesapeake on the next play.

Late in the game, Annapolis linebacker DeAndre Cunningham broke up a Chesapeake pass play, and linebacker Deonte Savadge-Tynes sacked McDonald on the subsequent fourth down to end the Cougars' last hope. Strong running by Panthers sophomore Ronche Kaskins with the ball securely protected by two hands, he ran out the clock.

As to whether this first game achieved the preseason goal of improving the team's depth, Coach Brown said his team "is a work in progress."

He explains, "We tell the kids all the time that until we feel comfortable with you, we're not going to play you. We're starting to get more comfortable with some of the other kids, so it's coming."

The Panthers will take the field again on Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. when they will host the Patriots of Old Mill High School.