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Don Gronning
CUSICK – The Cusick Panther football team got their first win of the year Friday, Oct. 3, a 42-22 victory over Springdale in front of a hometown crowd.
“We were as close to healthy this week as we have been in a while,” Cusick coach Dustin Person says. The Panthers had to cancel a game with Almira-Coulee/Hartline because of a lack of healthy, eligible players. “We had a great week of practice, and it carried over to the field on Friday.”
Cusick started the game with Springdale with an onside kick recovery.
“We took an early lead, created by an onside kick recovery by freshman Brawk Umbarger,” Person says. “He was able to recover the kick and advance it 35 yards down to about the 10-yard line where Kaden Person later ran for a 4-yard quarterback sweep touchdown.”
Cusick repeated the onside kick recovery on the next kickoff, this one picked up by Myland Whitford. Daniel Sutton scored on a sweep to give Cusick a 12-0 lead.
“Judah Sutton is our kicker and had two onside kicks recovered, which ultimately led to a 3-0 Panther turnover advantage for the game,” Person says.
Cusick’s next score came in the form of a 2-yard pass from Kade Person to Whitford. The Panters were up 20-0 and never looked back.
Person completed his first six passes, finishing nine of 16 on the night for 159 yards and two passing touchdowns to go with a rushing TD.
Daniel Lyons was the leading receiver with 88 yards. He also rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown. Judah Sutton led the Panthers in rushing with 90 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He also had 54 receiving yards and a touchdown. Whitford had four receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown.
“Our defense played well, led by junior Judah Sutton who had 14 tackles,” Person says. Umbarger, a freshman, had the onside kick recovery and an interception. Lyons, a junior, was second in tackles with six.
Cusick next travels to Inchelium Friday, Oct. 10 for a game that starts at 7 p.m. Inchelium is coming off a 60-32 loss to Wilbur-Creston- Keller last Friday.
