Senior running back Ed Williams accounted for 117 of Permian’s 295 rushing yards, while Justin Hammond added another 79. The Mojo offense also collected 91 yards through the air. The Panthers had 386 yards of total offense against a defense that helped claim a state title in Class 6A just two years ago. The Eagles finished the night breaking the 500 yard mark in total offense with 506.
DeSoto broke out to a quick 14-0 lead in the opening quarter. The Eagles started the scoring on a 25-yard touchdown run. Permian was able to move the ball but had to punt it away. Taking over on their own 1-yard line, it took just two plays for DeSoto to uncork a 94-yard catch-and-run to set Permian back by two scores.
The Panthers were able to battle back and get in the game midway into the second quarter. Williams overpowered the interior of the Eagles defense on a 20-yard touchdown scamper to cut the lead to seven. A short field goal by Carson Roberts made it a 14-10 game. The Mojo defense gave up another big play, this time a 65-yarder. Another Roberts field goal sent the two teams to the locker room with Permian trailing 21-13.
The Panthers and Eagles traded scores in the third quarter. Permian pulled to within one when Hammond scored from 12 yards out, but DeSoto answered with an 8-yard pass of their own to re-establish the eight point deficit. Mojo threatened late in the third, but a bad exchange on a hand-off resulted a turnover on the Eagles’ end of the field.
Another scoring opportunity was squandered early in the fourth quarter. As the Permian offense neared midfield, an intended pass had too much air under it and was intercepted at the 42-yard line. The potent Eagles offense made it way down the field, but the Mojo defense forced a short field goal with a little over seven minutes remaining in the game.
DeSoto ran five plays before having to punt the ball back to the Panthers. Mojo methodically alternated running plays targeting the interior of the defense and then sweeping outside. Permian closed the gap to 31-28 with 3:27 remaining. Peyton Powell found Mason Sellers in the endzone and then connected with Tyler Ramage for the two-point conversion.
A 42-yard TD run with a minute of the clock gave DeSoto the 38-28 victory. Permian will travel to El Paso next week to play the Franklin Cougars in another non-district clash.
GameTime Highlight Video
| BY QUARTER | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| DeSoto |
14 | 07 | 07 | 10 | 38 |
| Permian | 00 | 13 | 07 | 08 | 28 |
SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
DES – Tyson Alexander 25 run (Gerritt Blodgett kick), 9:16
DES – Kenneth Salter 94 pass from Shun’darion Ward (kick), 5:11
Second Quarter
PER – Ed Williams 20 run (Carson Roberts kick), 5:41
PER – Roberts 20 FG, 2:18
DES – Lawrence Arnold 65 pass from Ward (Blodgett kick), 2:03
PER – Roberts 37 FG, 0:03
Third Quarter
PER – Justin Hammond 12 pass from Peyton Powell (Roberts kick), 6:53
DES – La’Vontae Shenault 8 pass from Ward (Blodgett kick), 2:51
Fourth Quarter
DES – Blodgett 31 FG, 7:24
PER – Mason Sellers 11 pass from Powell (Tyler Ramage from Powell), 3:27
DES – Terrance Shaw 42 run (Blodgett kick), 1:18
| GAME STATISTICS | ||
| DES | PER | |
| First Downs | 16 | 21 |
| Total Yards | 506 | 386 |
| Rushing | 149 | 295 |
| Passing | 357 | 91 |
| C-A-I | 17-28-0 | 7-18-1 |
| Punting | 2-28.5 | 3-30.0 |
| Fumbles | 1-0 | 1-1 |
| Penalties | 13-100 |
6-55 |
