[Baltimore Sun] Perryville football, led by dominant defense, beats Patterson Mill in state quarterfinals
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Rain that turned to snow and back to rain again persisted throughout Friday night in Perryville. Coaches and reserves on the sidelines draped themselves in coats and wool blankets to escape it. Both teams aptly prepared for the conditions, ready to keep the ball on the ground as much as possible.
These elements would typically lean in the favor of Patterson Mill. Its Wing-T, run-centered offense can be a nightmare for some defenses.
But not Perryville’s.
The Panthers’ balanced offense instead thrived Friday night, and its defense held Patterson Mill out of the end zone in a 27-2 win in the Class 1A state quarterfinals.
“They always say defense wins championships,” Perryville coach Sean Sandora said. “Our kids take pride in that.”
Results elsewhere in the 1A bracket will give fourth-seeded Perryville a home semifinal game next week against Fort Hill.
Quarterback Joey Thomason threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score. Running back Jordon Jones ran for a touchdown and took a dump-off from Thomason 21 yards for his second score to cap the victory.
A fourth-quarter safety when an errant snap sailed over the Perryville punter’s head gave Patterson Mill its only points of the night.
The Panthers’ defense forced four turnovers on downs, three punts and capped the win with an interception by Pierce Sponaugle — his first of the season. Sandora buys pizza for players who score defensive touchdowns. Sponaugle was stopped short of that goal, but he did dispel growing rumors in the locker room that he couldn’t catch.
“I had to prove it,” the senior linebacker quipped.
Thomason led an offense that leaned on the ground game with unfavorable weather. It took time for the junior and Rising Sun transfer to settle into his new team, thus starting the season in a two-quarterback rotation with Davontae Clore.
Thomason was injured in his first game as a the full-time starter, as Clore took over and led Perryville to a win. Thomason returned in the following weeks and has his team two wins away from a state title.
“It took time for me to get things right,” Thomason said. “I was messing up things, but I feel like I’ve grown in that sense to do my job as a quarterback.”
“He’s got a lot of mental toughness and moxie,” Sandora said. “The kids rally around him. He’s got the ability to take our team to the next level.”
Patterson Mill’s rushing attack led by seniors RJ Wilhelm and Will Green tormented defenses throughout 2024. Both entered Friday with more than 1,300 yards on the ground this season, and Wilhelm has now posted two consecutive 1,500-yard campaigns with 18 touchdowns to boot.
Both were held in check in the loss. With the Huskies finding themselves in an early hole, they turned to sophomore quarterback Brycen Hunter’s arm to bring them back. The rattled and disjointed offense never got going as the unit ran out of time to erase a growing deficit.
“We knew that they were 95% run, so all week we focused on that,” Sponaugle said. “They’re probably the best blocking team we faced all year. First half, we struggled a little bit getting off those blocks, but we were able to shut down the run and make them throw the ball.”
Perryville also won its regular-season matchup with Patterson Mill, 37-14, a game Huskies coach David Huryk called “a big eye-opener for us.” Still, a similar result ends Patterson Mill’s season, while Perryville and its suffocating defense move on. But before Friday’s game ended, they had a final surprise.
They doused Sandora with their water cooler when the clock hit zero. Then as the postgame huddle danced while players took turns hoisting a plaque commemorating a semifinal appearance, the stadium public address announcer told those still within earshot that the Panthers would host the game that can clinch them a spot in the state championship.
“We worked all year for this,” Jones said. “We deserve it. Onto next week.”
Have a news tip? Contact Taylor Lyons at tlyons@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/TaylorJLyons.
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