About the only bright spot from Portal’s game Friday evening against Savannah Country Day was the crowning of the school’s 2017 homecoming queen.
The region rival Hornets scored on all six of their possessions in the first half, taking advantage of an interception and poor special teams play to build an insurmountable 43-0 lead on their way to a 43-7 victory at the Portal Athletic Complex.
The Panthers fell to 1-4 on the season and travel next Friday to play McIntosh County Academy. McIntosh fell Friday night to Savannah Christian to drop their record to 1-3.
Savannah Country Day took control right from their first possession, moving 73 yards in 12 plays capped off by a 6-yard run by senior fullback Adam Byck. Byck rushed for 36 yards on the drive and quarterback Cole Gambino was three for three passing, including a key 8-yard completion on third and six from the Portal 13-yard line.
On Portal’s first possession, the Panther offense looked like it would pick up right where it left off when they racked up 482 yards rushing in a victory over Wheeler County. Led by a 28-yard run by Brian Ware, Portal moved from its own 20 to the Savannah Country Day 33.
But on a third and three play, the Panthers were called for a procedure penalty that made it third and eight. Rolling to his left, quarterback Fischer Oglesby was looking for Ware in the flat, but Donavan Develaar stepped in front of the pass and returned the interception to the Panther 42. Byck put the Hornets up 14-0 seven plays later with a two-yard run.
For its next two touchdowns, Savannah Country Day only needed 18 yards of total offense to move on top 29-0 thanks to two straight botched special team plays off punts for Portal. On the first one, the snap bounced off a Panther up man and the Hornets pounced on it at the Portal 6-yard-line. The next punt snap was a grounder that punter Brian Ware was able to control but he was swarmed by Country Day defenders, giving the Hornets possession at the Panther 12.
Country Day tacked on two more scores before halftime for its 43-0 lead and the entire second half was played with a running clock.
Portal’s Charlie Drummer scored on a 3-yard-run midway through the fourth quarter to make the final 43-7.