Vina falls to Panthers 40-29

By Staff
Mike Hester
Franklin County Times
VINA – Jon McKinney tossed two touchdown passes and added a rushing touchdown to lead the Hackleburg Panthers to a 40-29 win at Vina Friday night.
Jason Megget opened the scoring with an 8-yard run, and McKinney found Garrett McHenry for a 48-yard touchdown with 6:24 left in the first quarter to put Hackleburg ahead 14-0.
McKinney rambled 63 yards in the second quarter and found McHenry again for a 25-yard score. Former Vina player Derek Reid added a 4-yard run with 1:23 remaining until halftime to put the Pantherrs ahaed 33-0.
Vina quarterback Brent Townsend had a 70-yard touchdown run called back due to a questionable call in the first half, but the Red Devils battled back in the second half and outscored Hackleburg 29-7.
Townsend scored from the Panthers' 7-yard line midway through the third quarter and Randy Barnes added the PAT, but Reid answered for Hackleburg with an 8-yard run to increase the lead to 40-7.
Townsend found Morgan McCarley for a 25-yard touchdown at the end of the third to make it 40-13.
In the fourth quarter, Townsend tossed a 41-yard touchdown to McCarley and Blake Thorn scored the 2-point conversion to narrow the margin to 40-21.
With 34 seconds remaining in the game, Nash Creekmore scored from the 2-yard line and added the 2-point conversion to make the final score 40-29.
The Red Devils finished with 416 yards of total offense, including 155 yards rushing. Townsend was 8-of-12 for 158 yards and two touchdowns passing and one rushing, and Blake Thorne added 87 yards rushing on only four carries. McCarley finished with three receptions for 104 yards and two scores.