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SPORTS WEEKLY
Volume 2 Issue 41 - Tuesday, October 25, 2022
CECIL COUNTY
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SUSKY BOWL CHAMPS!
By Victor Hensley
PERRYVILLE - As excitement filled the air on a chilly night at Perryville High School last Friday, a group of players donning navy blue and white uniforms – with a hint of gold – corralled at midfield, beaming with pride, howling in celebration and hoisting the area’s most iconic trophy. The sights and sounds have become familiar for those who have seen this script before. For the third straight
season, the Perryville Panthers are Susky Bowl champions. The Panthers (44) scrapped and clawed their way to a comfortable win, 24-0, over the Havre de Grace Warriors (0-8) in the latest installment of the famed Cecil-Harford rivalry, keeping the Susky Bowl trophy east of the Hatem Bridge for yet another year. “Basically, they've grown up with each other, they played against each other, they played with each other, so this is just a cul-
mination our seniors look forward to at the end of this season,” said Sean Sandora, the Panthers’ head coach, on the importance of winning the Susky Bowl. “It's great for our kids, it’s great for our community.” Last season, the Susky Bowl was the stage for a major upset, when the Panthers traveled four miles west to Havre de Grace, where they eked out a 2114 win against the previously unbeaten Warriors (6-0) in front of their home crowd. This year, however,
with the Warriors being in the midst of a major winless slump, the Panthers needed to simply play their style – which includes a heavy dose of the run game – to ensure the trophy stays in Perryville. And, despite some hiccups along the way, that’s exactly what they did. The Panthers wasted no time proving they meant business. After Perryville forced a three-and-out on Havre de Grace’s opening drive – made possible by a
first-play sack and a gain of only one yard by the Warriors – the Panthers put together a short drive that featured run plays of 11, 12 and 15 yards en route to an eventual 11-yard touchdown run from senior Swiss Army Knife Zack Ayers. Ayers proceeded to connect on the extra point to bring the score to 7-0 with 8:05 to play in the first quarter. “It was great,” Sandora said. “Just establishing the line of scrimmage and then being able to establish
the run, and then we could get our play-action pass on it. … That's how you want to start a game, just driving it down a team’s throat.” Ethen Gunter, deemed the Panthers’ “workhorse” by Sandora, had yet another brilliant night against the Warriors, posting 148 yards on 19 carries (7.8 yards per carry). In addition to his big night on the box score, Gunter provided the fireworks early. continued on page A-6
EARLY VOTING STARTS OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 3 ELECTION DAY NOVEMBER 8
UNDEFEATED PERRYVILLE PANTHERS GIRLS SOCCER FACES OFF WITH RISING SUN TIGERS READ ABOUT IT IN THE C-SECTION