GRANGER — A tough second half led to the Burton Panthers’ (6-4, 5-2 district) regular season ending on a sour note with a 40-20 defeat at Granger (7-3, 6-1 district). After being tied at 14 going into halftime, the Panthers were outscored 26-7 in the second half. Burton head coach Jason Hodde anticipated a challenging game against a Granger defense that allowed an average of just 13.
6 points in district play. Injuries, fatigue, poor tackling, and three turnovers ultimately contributed to the Panthers’ downfall. “We got worn down and didn’t tackle well,” Hodde said.
“I thought we fought to keep it close, but we ran out of gas. Our effort was tremendous, especially with seven starters out. The younger guys who had to step up, some without varsity experience, did their best, but some days just aren’t your days.
” Entering Friday night, the evenly-matched squads were locked in a back-and-forth battle. Both teams, with 6-3 records and 5-1 district standings in 13-2A Division II, were looking for a win to secure the No. 2 seed and potentially share the district title if Somerville lost to Milano.
November football made its presence felt at Granger High School, with temperatures dipping into the low 60s as the night progressed. The chilly weather didn’t slow the high-powered offenses initially. Granger opened with a four-minute drive, capped by quarterback Wyatt Rochner’s 33-yard touchdown run.
Burton quarterback Kayden Patterson responded with a one-yard touchd.