Panthers, Tigers meet looking for first win
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YORKVILLE -- Shadyside started the 2022 season an uncharacteristic 0-5 before securing just enough wins to sneak into the Ohio postseason.
That's far from the norm in Tiger Town. This season began with a narrow 3-point defeat to Martins Ferry before last week's trip to Sarahsville resulted in a 45-14 loss to a talented Shenandoah team.
Head coach Mike Kernik and company hit the road again this week to face Buckeye Local in a battle of two teams still searching for their first win.
Barring a tie, someone is walking away with that cherished first victory.
If it's to be the Panthers, then head coach Jim Hoover will need to find a way it's struggled to do in its first two games -- score.
After being shutout by Barnesville, 49-0, Buckeye did manage to score one touchdown in a 48-7 home loss to Union Local. The only problem? That came from the swift feet of Alex McDiffitt, who returned a kickoff 80 yards for six.
That made the special teams staff happy, as well as Hoover. But the fact the team didn't manage a first down until the third quarter likely did not.
A couple of starters were held out of the first quarter, and once inserted, faired no better in getting consistent drives going against the Jets' defense.
That happens when a team returns one starter on its offensive line, coupled with the loss of their major dynamic playmaker from a year ago.
Sklyer Ebright, the team's three-year starter at quarterback, will need to get the offense humming if it hopes of preventing Shadyside from enacting some revenge for last season's loss at Fleming Field to the Panthers.
McDiffitt provides Ebright a capable threat on the perimeter, and running back Noah Kourim has the capability of having a big night. But like with most teams, it all depends on what's going on up front from tackle to tackle.
Given the inexperience, as Buckeye's line goes, so goes the Panthers.
Hoover noted that the time is now for his team to get back on track as the next few weeks provide better opportunities for success before the schedule takes a turn for the difficult once again, closing out with Shenandoah, Toronto, Edison, River and Harrison Central.
"We have three winnable games coming up and so we have to move forward and focus on that,"
Hoover said after the UL game.