The FZN football team opened the conference (GAC Central) season in fine fashion last Friday night as the Panthers defeated Liberty 42 – 7. The Panthers are now 4 – 0 (1 – 0 GAC Central) on the season. On Friday, the Panthers dominated the Eagles in every aspect of the game. The Panther defense continued their stingy ways, limiting the Eagles to just 102 yards of total offense. Parker Monnig led the defensive effort as he recorded 9 tackles, including 4 sacks! After just four games this season, Monnig has an impressive 12 sack total. Max Martin and Gavin Stricker also had strong defensive performances against the Eagles.
On the offensive side of the ball, Cairo Payne once again led the way for the Panther O. Payne ran for 138 yards on 16 carries to lead all rushers on the night. The Panthers racked up a total of 317 rushing yards on the night. Running behind an experienced offensive line, the Panther triple-option offense spread the ball out throughout the night with Chris Futrell (10/62 yards), Izaiah Hartrup (8/52 yards) and Tyler Oaks (3/18 yards) making contributions to the offensive effort. Payne (2), Futrell (2), Hartrup, and Jack Newcomb all crossed the goal line for the Panthers. Kicker Owen Sears was a perfect 5/5 on extra-points.
This Friday the Panthers host their long-time rival Fort Zumwalt South in the annual “Helmet” trophy game. The trophy is a tradition that dates back to the mid-90’s when North and South were the district’s only two high schools. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm.