PORTAL - A dominating first half performance propelled the Portal Panthers to an 49-20 win over region rival McIntosh County Academy and likely secures a first round home playoff game next week.
“Just overall a great team effort,” said Panthers’ Head Coach Jason McEachin. “All three phases made impact plays and I’m just very proud of what we were able to do. We’re 8-2 in the regular season. That’s awesome. We’re going to enjoy this weekend and then get ready for the playoffs next week,” he said.
The Panthers will find out their opponent Saturday afternoon.
McEachin said he and the other coaches stressed all week the importance of winning this game to lock up a home playoff spot.
“We said ‘here’s what’s on the line. You lose, you’re probably traveling. If you want to play another one at home, you’ve got to come out and play sharp and be a good football team. Because home playoff teams win a lot more than traveling teams,’” he said.
“We like our chances at home. We’ve won eight games in a row at home so we’re looking forward to playing here again next Friday night.”
The Panthers opened the game by recovering an onside kick. Three plays later they committed their only real mistake of the first half when Omod Thomas’ pass was intercepted in the endzone to give the ball to the Buccaneers.
That would be the only possession for the Panthers in the first half that didn’t end in a touchdown. Portal would find paydirt on their next six possessions as they were able to move the ball through the air and on the ground seemingly at will.
“We were able to throw the ball and run the ball,” McEachin said. “Just great execution.”
“I can’t say enough about how well they’re executing and doing what we’re asking them to do,” he said.
The Panthers would rack up 330 yards of offense in the first half, with KJ Hunter running for 95 yards and two scores on the ground and another 40 yards on three receptions.
Rasheen Jackson added two touchdown receptions in the half. The first came on a halfback pass from Zeke Percell from 38 yards out that fooled the defense and left Jackson wide open.
His second score came just four seconds before halftime when Thomas hit him on a perfectly thrown 32-yard pass to hit Jackson in stride to extend the Panther lead to 40-6 and cap off a 28-point quarter for the Panthers.
Zeke Percell would open the scoring on the Panthers’ second possession on a 24-yard run that saw him appear to be stopped at the five but he was able to keep his feet moving and push his way into the endzone. That capped off a 55 yard drive.
After MCA answered with a touchdown of their own, Portal would go 65 yards on the back of Hunter, who accounted for all the yards on the drive, including a big 55-yard run down to the 10 yard line. Two plays later he punched it in for the go ahead score.
Following an interception by the Panthers, Percell would show off his arm on a halfback pass, finding Jackson wide open for the score. Hayden Scott’s PAT extended the lead to 20-6.
The Panther defense stopped the Buccaneers on a fourth and one on the next possession and then went 39 yards in four plays with Jason Crawford taking an option pitch eight yards for the score.
After yet another stop, the Panthers proceeded to go 81 yards in 1:38 with Hunter getting his second score of the night on an 11 yard run.
Portal would force a fumble on MCA’s next play and had just enough time to set up Jackson’s reception from Thomas to make it 40-6 at halftime in a dominating quarter of football for the Panthers.
Defensively, Portal held MCA to just 73 yards, all on the ground, in the first half and forced a big turnover with 20 seconds remaining in the first half, setting up Jackson’s second scoring catch of the half.
“I think (McIntosh) had two plays the entire first half that was problematic for us. A great job of getting them off the field and forcing turnovers.”
Portal would force a safety and score one final touchdown in the third quarter to extend their lead to 49-6 entering the final quarter of the game which resulted in a running clock for the final stanza. MCA was able to score a couple of late touchdowns to make the game look a little closer than it actually was.
Zeke Percell scored twice on the ground and ran for 95 yards on only four carries while Jason Crawford added a touchdown run of his own on the night as the Panthers put up 455 yards of total offense.
The win is Portal’s eighth straight win at home dating back to 2025 and something McEachin said the team takes pride in.
“We talk about playing well at home and protecting your home field. You don’t let people come in and celebrate and have a good time on your home field and these kids have bought into that,” he said.
The playoff field and locations will be announced Saturday afternoon by the Georgia High School Association.
