The Ellsworth Community College football players gave their all when they took on #7 Independence Community College this past Saturday. The Panthers forced a triple overtime but came away short in a 44-38 loss.
ECC scored with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Paris Chambers to Jason Jones to get on the board in the first quarter. The second quarter saw Savion Johnson with a 67-yard touchdown reception from Chambers, but then Independence outscored the Panthers 31-13 going into the half.
ECC came out of the locker room ready to run up the score, and in the second half the Panthers outscored Independence 25-7 to take the game into overtime. In the third quarter Chambers ran the ball in for a 2-yard touchdown, and Jack Lemke hit a 26-yard field goal. In the fourth Ben Rooney had a 5-yard touchdown reception from Chambers, followed by a 2-point conversion run by Chambers. A 1-yard touchdown run by Jake Schuman finished regulation to take the game into overtime.
In the first overtime the Panthers had the ball but threw an intercpation on the second play, giving Independence a chance to score. The Pirates went three downs but missed the field goal for a win.
During the second overtime Independence started with the ball and again went three downs and missed the field goal. In ECC's shot for the win the Panthers ran the ball a couple of times and attempted a 40-yard field goal, but the ball missed just to the right.
Time ran out for the Panthers in the third overtime when they had three negative downs and were forced to go for an unsuccessful 4th down. Independence ended the game with a big pass play on the 1st down and then scored on the second play.
Chambers threw for 311 yards on 19 complete passes and had three touchdowns. Tekendrick Roberson led the Panthers in rushing with 108 yards. Johnson had 123 yards receiving and one touchdown. Rooney and Jones each had a touchdown.
Naeem Smith led the defense with six solo tackles. Demetrius Caddell and Javonte Arius each had .5 sacks; Arius also had five tackles for a loss. Josh Belle had two interceptions in the game.
The Panthers will host Hutchinson City Community College on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 1 pm.