Heber Springs hosts 7-on-7 games for five weeks each summer at Panther Stadium. Through the first four weeks, Heber’s first team continues to school familiar competition as the Panthers crushed Vilonia 26-6, dismantled Mountain View 23-0 and defeated Quitman 23-8 on Tuesday.
The Panthers’ lone loss came in Week 1 versus Vilonia but the Panthers haven’t dropped a game since, including victories in the past two weeks over the Eagles. Vilonia didn’t come to Heber for Week 2 games. With the sweep, Heber improved to 2-1 against Vilonia, 4-0 versus Mountain View and 3-0 against Quitman.
“They looked good. I’m proud of how both the Red and White teams competed hard,” said Coach Steve Janski.
“Geoffrey Anderson really stood out on offense and defense. Austin Brown has been fearless going after the ball. Luke Fair has been showing great, reliable hands and good route running ability.
Defensively, there is not one kid right now that is not giving great effort. Andrew Hill, Tyler Helms, Jesse Lawrence and all the guys are playing well. Both quarterbacks [Michael Ludwig and Landon Glover] have been accurate and we have a lot of confidence in them.”
Heber 23, Mtn. View 0
The Yelowjackets drove deep into Heber territory on their first possession as receiver John Fuller caught two passes from quarterback Tyler Callahan for a combined 35 yards but Anderson jumped a third down pass and made a juggling interception, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
Heber got right to work on offense, scoring in three plays. Ludwig found Hill down the right hash for 12 yards then Brown hauled in a pass over the middle and turned up field for 17 yards. On first down, Ludwig fired a bullet to Brown, who made the catch at the 1-yard line and lunged across the goal line for an 11-yard touchdown.
On the two-point conversion attempt from the 10-yard line, Ludwig rolled left and hit Brown in the end zone on a corner route, extending Heber’s lead to 10-0.
The Panthers held Mountain View to a three and out on the next possession as Anderson chased down Fuller one yard short of a first down on third and long.
Once again, Heber scored in only three plays. On first down, Ludwig passed to Markeyvus Mays in the right flat and he turned up for 16 yards then Brown caught a quick out for eight yards. On second down, Ludwig drilled a pass between two defenders to Clint Ligon, who made a leaping grab for a 17-yard touchdown. Tyler Callahan broke up Ludwig’s two-point conversion pass intended for Brown in the back of the end zone, leaving the Panthers’ lead at 16-0.
Preston Challahan kept the ‘Jackets ensuing drive alive with a 15-yard reception on a precise out route thrown by Tyler Callahan before Helms and Lawrence shut down Mountain View’s receivers, forcing a turnover on downs.
Heber added another score on its next drive as Mays turned a dump off to the left flat into nine yards then Ludwig rolled left and hit Fair on a curl route for 11 yards. Ludwig dropped to Anderson for six yards before hitting Jessie Hood on a quick slant at the 4-yard line and he dodged two defenders on the way to a 14-yard touchdown. The Panthers added another point when Ludwig passed to Brown on a quick hitch over the middle, boosting their lead to 23-0.
On the ‘Jackets final possession, Preston Callahan caught a lob from his brother for 13 yards and Fuller added a 10-yard reception before the Panthers’ defense stood tall. After two incomplete passes, Caleb Carmikle batted down a pass at the goal line, preserving the Panthers’ 23-0 shutout.
Heber 26, Vilonia 6
The Panthers got revenge over Vilonia last week and one-upped them on Tuesday by scoring on all four offensive attempts while cruising to victory. The Eagles got the pigskin first but not for long as Carmikle made a diving interception on Drew Knowles’ pass over the middle.
Leading 2-0, Heber drove 40 yards in six plays for a score. Ludwig hit Anderson in the right flat for 15 yards then he passed to Mays for five more. Rolling right, Ludwig hit Fair for 11 yards, setting up first and goal from the 9-yard line.
After an incomplete pass, Fair made a catch while surrounded by defenders for four yards and Ludwig found Fair again on third down–this time for a 5-yard touchdown, which pushed the Panthers’ lead to 8-0. Ludwig’s two-point conversion pass from the 10-yard line was broken up.
Vilonia went three and out as they tried to go deep each down then Heber picked apart the Eagles’ defense for another score, using five plays for six points. Hood caught a quick screen and reversed field for seven yards then Ludwig found Brown wide open over the middle for a 21-yard catch and run.
After an incompletion, Ludwig dumped to Mays in the left flat for six yards then he rolled right and lobbed to Brown, who made a spectacular leaping grab in the back, right corner of the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown. Ludwig passed to Anderson on the two-point conversion but he was stopped two yards short of the goal line, leaving the Panthers with a 14-0 advantage.
The Eagles had a potential touchdown dropped on their next series and never recovered as Lawrence and Helms provided tight coverage on the edge, forcing a three and out.
Heber basically put the game out of reach by striking for a touchdown on its next play as Ludwig went up top for Mays, who made the catch in stride with a defender draped on his back for a 40-yard touchdown. Ludwig’s one-point conversion pass from the 5-yard line was broken up, leaving the Panthers with a 20-0 lead.
Knowles fired deep again on the Eagles’ next two plays to no avail then Helms batted down a 15-yard hitch as Vilonia turned the ball over without a first down for the fourth consecutive series.
With 6:50 remaining, Heber started a seven-play, 40-yard scoring drive. Brown turned a quick hitch into 14 yards but Ludwig’s second down pass was dropped. On third and short, Ludwig dumped to Mays, who burst down the right sideline for seven yards and a new set of downs.
After firing incomplete, Ludwig hit Hood on a bubble screen for five yards then he passed to Anderson, who made a great catch between two defenders, giving Heber 10 yards and a first down.
On first and goal, Ludwig lobbed to the back of the end zone where Ligon made a leaping grab for a 3-yard touchdown. Ludwig connected with Brown on the two-point conversion attempt but he was stopped two yards short, leaving Heber’s lead at 26-0.
With less than one minute remaining, Heber had its only defensive breakdown and the Eagles took advantage with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Knowles. Hill broke up the two-point conversion try, setting the final at 26-6.
Heber 23, Quitman 8
The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 8-0 lead before Heber scored three unanswered touchdowns to win its final game of the evening.
Quitman’s fast start began when Kevin Peterson made a tremendous catch in mid-air as the Panthers’ defenders collided while Peterson skirted down the right sideline for a 30-yard gain. Quarterback Aaron Parker found receiver Cody Easter on the next play for four yards then Easter made a 6-yard touchdown grab on second and goal, giving the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead. Parker found Peterson wide open on a wheel route for two more points on the conversion attempt, which was snapped from the 10-yard line.
Trailing 8-0, Heber quickly responded as Ludwig hit Fair sprinting off the right hash on a skinny post for a 40-yard touchdown. Ludwig rolled right and fired across his body to Fair for two more points, tying the score at 8-all.
Heber forced a three and out on Quitman’s ensuing possession and the Panthers got right back to work on offense, driving 40 yards in six plays for the go-ahead touchdown. On first down, Ludwig connected with Fair over the middle for nine yards then he hit Ligon for six more before the Bulldogs’ tight coverage forced Ludwig to spike the ball.
On second and 10, Ludwig threaded a needle to Brown for 10 yards and a new set of downs and Brown added a 3-yard reception before Ludwig hit Hill on a quick slant for a 2-yard touchdown. Brown made a tough catch in traffic on the two-point conversion attempt, pushing Heber’s lead to 16-8.
Quitman picked up a first down on its next possession as Hunter Bridges caught a slant from Parker for 13 yards then Parker hooked up with Chase Stewart for four yards and a new set of downs.
After Anderson broke up Parker’s first down pass, the Bulldogs’ quarterback hit Stewart on a slant for seven yards but the Panthers held tight on third down, reclaiming the pigskin.
Hood initially burned Easter on the Panthers’ first play but the Bulldogs’ cornerback made an amazing recovery to knock down Ludwig’s deep pass in the end zone. After a dropped pass, Ludwig hooked up with Ligon for a 40-yard touchdown but a five second sack call brought the score back as Quitman regained possession.
Stewart hauled in a tipped pass for 11 yards on Quitman’s ensuing drive, which ended short of a first down as Parker’s third down pass was dropped near the first down marker.
With 7:30 remaining, the Panthers put the game out of reach with a three-play scoring strike. Peterson broke up Ludwig’s first down pass but Heber’s quarterback found Brown for a 15-yard catch and run then Ludwig connected with Mays on a flag route for a 25-yard touchdown. On the one-point conversion, Ludwig hit Ligon inches over the goal line as the Panthers’ lead grew to 23-8.
Heber middle linebacker Mason Williams and company forced a three and out on the Bulldogs’ next drive then Heber nearly scored again as Hood caught a 15-yard pass on a hitch route and added a 12-yard reception on a slant, setting up the Panthers with second and short from the 13-yard line.
Ludwig connected with Hood for a third straight time, this time for seven yards on a quick out. Ludwig lobbed to Mays in the back left corner and he made the catch while falling down but was ruled out-of-bounds as time expired, leaving the final at 23-8.
Heber’s first team also batted the second bunch in a spirited intra squad battle. The first team struck for a score on its opening play from scrimmage as Ludwig launched a deep pass to Hill, who made the catch while streaking down the right hash for a 40-yard touchdown. Glover, who rotated snaps with Ludwig during the intra squad game, rolled left and passed to Mays in the flat for two more points, giving the first team an 8-0 lead.
Bo Hefner got into the action with a four-yard reception but the second team fizzled out and the first bunch quickly scored another touchdown.
After Glover’s potential touchdown pass was dropped, Ludwig passed incomplete before Glover hit Brown, who used tremendous concentration to make the bobbling grab while falling to the turf near the right sideline. After Brown’s 30-yard reception, Heber began playing around a bit as Ludwig option pitched to Mays, who burst around the left end and into the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. Glover lobbed to Brown in the back, left corner on the conversion attempt but Brooks Morgan made a nice defensive play by deflecting the ball away from the taller receiver.
Trailing 14-0, the second unit battled back with a six-play, 40-yard scoring strike. After Ludwig passed to C. J. Cannon for seven yards, Glover hit Brian Wenger but a sack call nullified the play.
Wenger made another catch, this time from Ludwig for 12 yards and a first down then Cameron Vandivor caught a swing pass in the right flat but was stopped for no gain. On third down, Ludwig showed great touch on a pass to Cannon, who made the jumping grab in over tight coverage for a 9-yard touchdown. Glover’s two-point pass over the middle was broken up, leaving the first unit with a 14-6 lead.
The first team picked apart the second unit again on its last drive as Glover found Mays in the left flat for 10 yards then Ludwig kept the drive alive by connecting with Fair for six yards on third and five.
Glover drilled a pass to Brown on a slant for nine yards and Ludwig found Fair on a quick hitch for four yards, setting up first and goal. Glover rolled left and hooked up with Brown in the back of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown, extending the first team’s lead to 20-6, which ended as the final once the second team stopped Mays short on the one-point conversion.
