Plant head coach Robert Weiner predicted this year's showdown between his Panthers and the Armwood Hawks could be one of the best - it lived up to its billing as #3 Plant knocked off #1 Armwood 29-27 on a 37-yd field goal by Nick Rice with 1:47 left in the fourth quarter.
Ty Thompson opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 47-yd TD run. He entered the night with 89 rushing yards on nine carries through the first three games but came up big against Armwood with 91 yards on 13 carries. Dane Frantzen connected with USC commit Juwan Burgess for a 19-yd TD reception in the second quarter. Frantzen earned Player of the Game honors with 144 passing yards, 134 rushing yards and two total TD. Frantzen's rushing TD in the fourth quarter gave Plant a 26-14 lead.
Armwood's Brian Snead (Ohio State verbal) rushed for 60 yards and three touchdowns. He scored both of Armwood's first-half touchdowns, while his fourth-quarter TD pulled plant to within five points. On the ensuing drive, Armwood's Jabreel Stephens stripped Frantzen in his own end zone and Darrian McNeal recovered for a TD, giving the Hawks their first lead of the game.
Plant's final drive started with 5:12 left in the fourth quarter, and the Panthers were able to march 43 yards in 3:25 to set up Rice's game-winning kick. Plant's defense dominated at times, sacking Devin Black seven times (three by Micah McFadden) and limiting Armwood to just one of eight on third down conversions. Black did finish with a team-high 134 rushing yards.
Armwood (3-1) moves back into district play next week as they travel to Blake. Plant (4-0) will also host a district foe, as Wharton travels to Dad's Stadium.