CLAXTON — Claxton's star running back, Shavez Mincey, left the game with an injury midway through the second quarter, but the rest of the offense answered the bell.
    The Tigers scored three unanswered touchdowns and held off the visiting Portal Panthers 18-9 Friday at Bell Memorial Field.
    Portal (1-2) took an early 9-0 lead and had all the momentum when Mincey (10 carries, 44 yards) fumbled it away.
     Worse was when Mincey left the field on a stretcher.
    The Tigers (2-1) received news after the game that the stretcher was precautionary and the injury wasn't likely serious, as Mincey apparently tried contacting the coaching staff during the game to try and get back in.
    Claxton was just fine without him.
    Quarterback Michael Peel threw for 133 yards, and sophomore running back Khalil Brewton rushed for a career-high 105 yards.
     "I was really pleased with the way our guys dealt with the situation and with adversity in general," said CHS coach Allen Cartwright. "At the time [the injury] happened, we fumbled. We had everything going against us at that particular time, and him getting hurt was another big blow to us. For our kids to fight through that and come back and win the game, against a very tough Portal team, I was proud."
     The final touchdown of the game came with 7 minutes, 23 seconds remaining when Claxton's Bron Glover scored on a pitch from six yards out.
     Glover also caught six passes for 87 yards.
     Portal led the entire first half, but CHS took the lead for good when Brewton scored his first-career touchdown from four yards out to give the Tigers a 12-9 lead after the first drive of the third quarter.
     It was Peel's arm that got the offense going in the second.
     The drive after Mincey left the game saw the senior complete five passes, including a 41-yarder to Glover up the middle to set up a three-yard touchdown run by Zachaeus Grant.
     The Panthers capitalized on early Claxton mistakes, including three first-half turnovers.
     An interception by Trai Gadson, which included a 25-yard return, set up a 34-yard field goal by Joseph Lockley.
     In the second quarter Peel, who is also the CHS punter, muffed a snap on the 2-yard line to set up a scoring run by Gadson.
     Gadson led the Panthers with 69 yards on 14 carries.
     "They've got a great football team and our kids hung in and played with them," said first-year Portal coach David NeSmith. "We saw some good things tonight, and we've just got to build off those."
    
    Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9408.