The Permian Panthers (7-4, 3-2) are Class 6A Division, Region 1 bi-district champions with a 26-13 win over the Pebble Hills Spartans (8-3, 6-2), led by a two touchdown effort by Juzstyce Lara and a pair of picks by Braden Garcia.
Ben Saldivar got the Panthers going early with a big kickoff return that got Permian down to the Spartan 38-yard line on their first possession. The Permian offense was ready to play out of the gate, driving down the field with Lara scoring on a one-yard touchdown run to go up 7-0 with 8:13 remaining in the first quarter. Jacob Franco nailed the extra point.
On the next Pebble Hill possession Garcia picked off the first Spartan pass of the game, and it was time for the Panther offense to come back out with excellent field position again. While they started at the 50-yard line, the offense sputtered and needed to punt to Pebble Hills, who took over at their own 25-yard line. They went on to tie up the game 7-7.
Bryan Pry
| Bryan Pry Hudl
With 11:56 left in the second quarter, Permian took a 14-7 lead when Jakob Garcia connected with Isaiah Welton for a seven-yard touchdown pass. Franco hit the extra point to make it a seven point lead. On the next Pebble Hills possession, Sebastian Sanchez got to the Spartan quarterback on fourth down to force a turnover on downs and give the Panthers the ball at the Spartan 40-yard line.
Lara scored on a two-yard touchdown run with 7:29 to go, but the extra point was missed and it was a 20-7 lead for Permian.
After a strange play where Pebble Hills attempted a punt and the punter kneeled by accident, the Panthers took over at the Spartan 13-yard line. Jose Olazaba picked off a pass for Pebble Hills stopping the threat, but then Braden Garcia stepped in front of a pass for his second interception of the day to get the ball back at the Permian 45-yard line. The Spartans responded a minute later with a Cezar Perez interception to take over at their own 27-yard line with three minutes to go in the half. The Panthers showed some more strong defense, with Bryan Pry sacking the quarterback to force a third down and long and an eventual punt. The half would end with Permian holding a comfortable 20-7 lead.
The Spartans got the ball in the second half and started at their own 41-yard line, but Sanchez and Pry got into the backfield to sack the quarterback again and force a punt. The Panthers got the ball at the 28-yard line and marched downfield, with Uriel Montoya running it in for a one-yard score with 1:42 left to go up 26-7. On the next Pebble Hills possession, Caleb Jamison picked off a pass with time winding down in the third quarter.
With 7:48 left in the game, the Spartans scored on a four-yard touchdown run by Gael Ochoa, and the two point conversion was no good. While Pebble Hills recovered a Permian fumble at their own 46-yard line and got inside the Permian 20 with eight minutes on the clock, they turned over the ball on downs and Permian held on the rest of the way to take the win and advance in the playoffs.
Lara was an absolute workhorse with 43 carries, leading the charge with 221 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Braden Garcia led the defense of the Panthers with a pair of interceptions.
The win sends them to the area round of the Class 6A, Division1, Region 1 tournament to take on North Crowley (11-0, 7-0) on Nov. 17.