Pioneers shut out by Panthers

Game against 5A school a disappointment for the smaller 4A Pioneer squad

With plenty of support, junior Tanner Coy carries the ball downfield to pick up some yards for the Gentry Pioneer team in its game against Siloam Springs on Friday night.

With plenty of support, junior Tanner Coy carries the ball downfield to pick up some yards for the Gentry Pioneer team in its game against Siloam Springs on Friday night.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

— It wasn’t a clinic on execution, but Siloam Springs got the job done on Friday at Glenn W. Black Stadium.

The Panthers rolled up 397 yards in a 33-0 victory against Gentry in a non-conference game interspersed with penalties and errors.

Siloam Springs (2-1) committed 12 penalties for 114 yards and second-year head coach Bryan Ross said that’s something the Panthers have to correct when Greenwood visits next week to open 5A West Conference play.

“We’re certainly going to have to play better next week,” Ross said. “Bottom line is we won the game, and hopefully we can improve this week in practice. I think the kids will be ready to go since it’s Greenwood in the first conference game.”

Quarterback Braden Pippin completed 22 of 28 passes for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also rushed for 40 yards and one touchdown.

“I was a little bit nervous, but once we hit the field and warmed up a little bit I was pretty good,” said Pippin, who sat out the first two weeks after suffering a concussion.

Turnovers cost Gentry 17 points

Siloam Springs sophomore Austin Van Poucke intercepted a pass on Gentry’s first offensive possession and returned it 55 yards to the 14-yard line, which led to a Siloam Springs field goal from Pablo Castillo.

Van Poucke recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter as Gentry’s Eathen Ramsey was heading into the end zone to preserve the Panthers’ shutout.

And Siloam Springs’ Boston Sharp intercepted a Gentry pass and ran it back 25 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

On Siloam Springs’ second possession, Pippin hit three consecutive passes to Zac Boothe, Grady Truitt and Chris Villasenor to get the Panthers to the 18. Pippin ran 18 yards for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead.

Pippin hit Tyler Tucker for a 5-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter, a play set up by a 47-yard completion to Collin Self.

Gentry, which opens 1-4A Conference play next week against Farmington, totaled 182 yards of total offense led by Tanner Coy’s 95 yards on 16 carries.

Coy broke loose for a 24-yard run on Gentry’s first possession to put the Pioneers on the Panthers 38-yard line, but quarterback Austin Millsap was intercepted on the next play by Van Poucke.

Sports, Pages 10 on 09/22/2010