4-1 Wildcats set to face Panthers

The 4-1 Anna-Jonesboro Community High School football team will travel to 3-2 Pinckneyville to play the host Panthers this Friday night.

The game, which kicks off at 7 p.m., will be aired on WIBH radio in Anna. The game also can be heard online by visiting www.annanews.com.

Pinckneyville lost to a winless Du Quoin team 14-3 last week.

“We didn’t play bad football last week,” Panthers’ coach Todd Thomas said.

“They’re a good team and we played them on their homecoming,” Thomas said about Du Quoin.

Pinckneyville is led by senior quarterback Colton Nelson, 6-1, 200 pounds. He has thrown for 750 yards this season and was 19 of 34 passing against Du Quoin for 258 yards. He also threw two interceptions.

The Panthers’ top receivers are senior Justsyn Rushing, 5-8, 160 pounds, and senior Dalton Bathon, 6-1, 160 pounds. Rushing had 6 receptions for 110 yards against Du Quoin. Bathon had 9 receptions for 100 yards.

Pinckneyville’s rushing offense was held to just 47 yards against the Indians. Rushing was the leading rusher with 21 yards on 5 carries.

The Panthers’ leading rusher this season is senior Chase Lazenby, 6-0, 190 pounds. He had 19 yards on 6 carries last week. The other running threat is junior Trent Hicks, 5-11, 180 pounds.

“Their quarterback is a big kid with a quick release,” A-J coach Brett Detering said. “They do a good job of running the football, too. They do a lot of things well.”

The offensive line is built around seniors Nick Bauersachs, 6-0, 260 pounds, and Colin Hagene, 6-1, 205 pounds.

Hagene is Pinckneyville’s leading tackler. Another top defender is senior Zach Hester, 5-8, 170 pounds.

“We’re a senior-laden team,” Thomas said. “Our skill kids are the strong point of our team.”

Thomas said his squad will have a big task in trying to stop the Wildcat quarterback Jay Kemp and running back Damian Reed.

“They’re both three-year starters and they are the workhorses on the team,” he said. “I don’t think we can stop them – we’ll have to contain them. It’s a daunting task to play Anna. They are well coached and we have a lot of respect for them.”

Thomas said his team will have to do something on Friday that it didn’t do against Du Quoin in order to win the game.

“We not only have to move the football, but execute when we get in the red zone,” he said. “We have to finish our drives.”