GAS CITY —
All season long, the senior tandem of James Davis and Hudson Featherstone has provided the 1-2 punch of Western’s ground game.
With Davis sidelined for Friday’s Class 3A Sectional 19 semifinal at Mississinewa, it appeared the Panthers’ dynamic-duo rushing scheme was in jeopardy.
Ben Lenahan wore the cape just fine.
The Western junior rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries as the Panthers ousted the Indians from the postseason for a third straight year, 47-26.
“I can’t lie, I was nervous,” Lenahan said. “James is a great back, and I knew I had to step up and play big for my team. I had faith in my line and faith in myself. Our offensive line, they man up on everybody, and they did a great job of opening up holes for me.”
Featherstone also credited Western’s O-line, while also making sure to give Lenahan accolades.
“He really stepped up when we needed him to,” Featherstone said of Lenahan’s performance. “He couldn’t have filled in [for Davis] any better. I’ve got a lot of faith in Ben. He’s just a great asset. He really stepped up.”
Featherstone complemented Lenahan with a stellar performance of his own, finishing with 132 yards and two touchdowns on 20 totes.
“I thought with Hudson, we were going to have to put a lot on his shoulders,” Western coach Nate Andrews said. “I figured he was going to have to carry the bulk of the load and we’d sprinkle Ben in a little bit. It turned out the other way, and that’s pretty impressive.”
Western (6-5) advances to face Eastbrook (8-3) at Russiaville next Friday. The Grant County Panthers, 35-20 winners at Yorktown Friday, defeated the Russiaville Panthers 33-16 in a Week 2 clash at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Featherstone and Lenahan split carries from the get go as Western started hot out of the gate, going up 12-0 in the first three minutes on scores from each of the backs.
“I think we shocked them a little bit with the fast start,” Andrews said. “I’m really proud of the way we started off.”
Western led 19-0 at the half, building a 33-0 third-quarter lead before Mississinewa (7-4) started showing signs of life.
The Panthers’ defense kept the Indians off balance for much of the game, recovering two first-half fumbles and picking off a third-quarter pass before Ole Miss could find the scoreboard. The Panthers held Mississinewa running back Blake Dailey, who entered the game with 1,629 yards, to a mere 21 over most of the first three quarters.
“Our defense was tremendous for much of the night,” Andrews said. “We swarmed the ball for three quarters.”
Near the end of the third, the Indians tacked on two quick scores to make it a 33-14 contest heading into the final 12 minutes.
“We started to lose concentration, and they’re a good team,” Andrews said. “I was waiting for them to catch a spark. Once they did, they did some good things to make it a closer game.”
Ole Miss was able to get no closer as the Panthers and Indians traded scores in the fourth quarter.
Western finished with 350 yards on the ground and another 92 through the air as quarterback Drew Bellus completed 3 of 7 attempts, including a 50-yard touchdown toss to Ronnie Smith.
Sports
Panthers pummel Indians
Lenahan gives Western a big performance in place of injured Davis.
- Sports
-
-
Comets wear crown
In a softball game that was every bit the pitchers’ duel many were expecting, Tipton senior stud Shelby Hursh and Eastern junior ace Abby Oyler went head-to-head for nine innings in Friday’s Class 2A Eastern Sectional final.
When the smallest of doors cracked open late in extra innings, it was the Comets who were able to sneak through. -
Northwestern takes down West Lafayette
Northwestern played a very solid game on both offense and defense in defeating West Lafayette 8-5 in the opening round of the IHSAA Class 3A Peru Baseball Sectional Thursday night.
-
10 area athletes advance to boys track state finals
Austin Roark’s first season as the head boys track and field coach at Eastern High School just keeps getting better and better.
A week after guiding the Comets to their first sectional title since 1998, Roark will join six of his athletes at next weekend’s IHSAA state finals after advancing out of Thursday’s Kokomo Regional at Walter Cross Field. -
Eastern dominates Taylor in softball
GREENTOWN — The third time turned out not to be the charm for the Taylor softball squad as Eastern improved to 3-0 on the season over its backyard rival Wednesday night, ousting the Titans from the Class 2A Eastern Sectional 15-0 in five innings.
-
Barnes sets Taylor's career hits record
Taylor baseball standout Logan Barnes made his final game at George Phares Field one to remember.
Barnes pitched four solid innings to lead Taylor past Monroe Central 9-3 Tuesday. In addition, he went 2 for 3 at the plate, pushing his career hits total to a school-record 142. -
Kats drop heartbreaker
When the postseason arrives, emotions surge like a roller-coaster. One minute, it’s a long uphill, then a wild series of events offer a barrage of frights and thrills. And then, for one team, the ride ends and there aren’t any more tickets for another go around.
After two days of chills and thrills, Kokomo’s softball team ran out of tickets Tuesday night in the Class 4A Harrison Sectional. The Kats dropped a 4-3 decision to Harrison in eight innings, giving up a run in the top of the extra frame, and having a runner tagged out at home in the bottom of the frame.
“It was a great game,” Harrison coach Dick Mitchell said. “It’s always nerve-wracking to coach in one of them, but both teams played their hearts out. Nobody deserved to lose that game, but unfortunately somebody does.” -
Comets turn heads at track regional
Heading into Tuesday’s IHSAA girls track and field regional at Fort Wayne Northrop High School’s Spuller Stadium, event workers alike weren’t sure of Eastern High School’s location.
After the dust settled, they may feel compelled to get a map out and find out where Greentown is located.
Led by seniors Sarah Wagner, Brittany Neeley and Bethany Neeley, the Comets qualified for the state finals in six separate events to finish fourth as a team with 55.5 points, behind host and champion Northrop (78), Bellmont (68) and Carroll (Allen) 66. -
GASKINS: Hibbert’s block was thing of beauty
For the better part of the NBA season, ESPN devoted all kinds of time on SportsCenter episodes to replays of two dunks. Anyone who watches any ESPN at all surely knows the two to which I’m referring: 6-foot-11 DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers posterizing 6-3 Brandon Knight of the Detroit Pistons, and 6-8 LeBron James of the Miami Heat hammering home a dunk over 6-2 Jason Terry of the Boston Celtics.
Day after day, ESPN commentators lavished endless praise, which quickly grew tiresome. The dunks were strong, but Jordan and James were much taller and heavier than Knight and Terry and the dunkers also caught perfect alley-oop passes with the defenders in poor positions to defend. Still, ESPN commentators loved these plays.
I kept wondering if a great defensive play would receive the same kind of love. -
Coons, Walker, Glassburn reach Victory Lane
When the dust settled Sunday evening at the Kokomo Speedway, a pair of drivers who have visited Victory Lane in the past at the local oval found themselves there once again while a talented up-and-comer hit the hallowed ground for the first time.
Jerry Coons Jr. had his way in the sprint car feature and Craig Walker seemed to get faster as the laps wound down to win the Street Stock main event, however Kokomo High School sophomore Kory Glassburn had to scratch and fight before scoring the first feature win of his career in the Thunder Car A-main. -
Field is set for Indianapolis 500
After being bumped from the starting field while sitting on the qualifying line on pole day, Josef Newgarden turned the fastest time on bump day, assuring himself a spot in the Indianapolis 500.
The field of 33 cars will have one final opportunity to practice on Friday before next Sunday’s 97th running of the 500.
One year ago the Sarah Fisher Racing Team withdrew Newgarden’s entry on the first day of qualifying and had to qualify on bump day. This year the team decided not to make another qualifying run and got bumped. - More Sports Headlines
-
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying
Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
Jersey Shore Open for Business
Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington
New Wheelchair Lift Promises More Access
First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse
Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys
