IMA SPORTS

Maumee has finished up its non-conference football schedule, and it learned one quick lesson in the Northern Buckeye Conference opener – there will be no easy games this season.

The Panthers came into the game looking for win No. 2 while visiting Lake was still searching for its first win. The Flyers came close, but the Panthers held on in the second half for a 27-20 victory.

Maumee improved to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the conference — a far cry from being 0-2 just two weeks ago.

“It feels great, especially knowing how much we’ve grown since Week 1,” Panthers coach Evan Karchner said. “We’ve faced some adversity early, but we’re starting to find our identity and play with confidence. We’re not where we want to be yet, but we’re trending in the right direction. We need to keep getting better every single day.”

The Panthers entered halftime with a 14-12 lead, scoring in the first half on a pair of Ben Kubicz touchdown passes — a 75-yarder to a wide-open Braidon Linn and a 21-yard strike to Will Kubicz.

In the third quarter, Maumee leaned heavily on its ground game with a pair of extended drives. The second drive was capped by a 5-yard touchdown run from Cohen Jones to extend the lead to 20-12 late in the quarter.

“That third quarter really set the tone for the rest of the game,” Karchner said. “We challenged the guys at halftime to come out and play with more physicality and energy, and they responded. We controlled the line of scrimmage, made some key stops defensively, and executed when we needed to on offense. That was definitely a statement quarter for us.”

The Flyers didn’t go away, though, tying the game at 20-20 with under a minute to play in the third. However, Maumee put the win away midway through the fourth when Kubicz hit Brock Heard in the back of the end zone for a 2-yard TD.

Jones finished with a season-high 83 rushing yards, while the Panthers as a team totaled 192 on the ground. The offensive line — which has been shuffled since Week 1 — showed growth against Lake’s defense.

“They took a step forward tonight,” Karchner said. “Lake’s defense brought pressure, but our guys held their ground and gave our backs room to run and our quarterback time to operate. Communication is improving, and you can tell they’re starting to build chemistry. We were able to sustain drives, especially in the second half, and that starts up front.”

The highlight of the night came on a non-scoring play. Junior receiver Eli Dodson hauled in a one-handed catch along the sideline, firmly getting a foot down for a completion.

Dodson finished with seven catches for 67 yards, adding to his team-leading season totals of 26 receptions and 355 yards.

“That catch was unreal,” Karchner said. “Eli’s just a special player. He’s got great hands, body control, and he shows up in the biggest moments. But it’s more than just highlight plays. He brings leadership, toughness, and a competitive edge every single day. When we need someone to step up, Eli’s one of those guys we can count on.”

Maumee now hits the road for its next two games at Genoa and Rossford before returning home Oct. 3 for a homecoming matchup against Fostoria.

Photo courtesy of Pride of the Panthers
Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com