Panthers move to 5A semifinals

By Julie Storing
UCA sportswriting

With a wild 54-50 victory over Little Rock Christian on Friday, the Greenbrier Panthers advanced to the semifinals of the Class 5A state playoffs.

Greenbrier coach Randy Tribble said that it was an exciting game for both the players and the fans.

“There was a lot of scoring," Tribble said. "Both teams played well offensively. It was great high school football game. I'm just proud of our players for playing hard and believing we could win it. It's a great win for the playoffs and the school.”

The game proved to be a nail-biter until the end with Greenbrier scoring the final touchdown with 54 seconds left in the game.

Tribble said that even though the Panthers had captured the lead, he didn't feel any sense of security until junior Hunter Winston intercepted the ball right afterward.

"It was real satisfying to see the team perform that well,” Tribble said. “We knew Little Rock Christian was going to have a chance to run. We didn't feel like celebrating until we intercepted their pass. It was satisfying to see us perform in the clutch.”

Despite pulling out the win, the Panthers had a difficult time containing Little Rock Christian's prized running back, Michael Dyer.

“We allowed a lot of points to the other team,” Tribble said. “They had Michael Dyer, and he lived up to his billing. They played very well. We didn't play well on pass defense. Hopefully, we can fix that some by the next game.”

According to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Greenbrier sophomore quarterback Neal Burcham completed 21 of 30 passes for 367 yards and five touchdowns. Winston ran 19 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns and caught five passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns. Senior runningback Justin Head had seven receptions for 128 yards and one touchdown.

The Panthers will travel to Camden Fairview for a semifinal playoff game on Friday.

“Now there are only four teams left,” Tribble said. “We are in the semifinals. I don't think anyone in the state would have thought we would get here. We appreciate our fans and the school, and we need to take some of that atmosphere with us to Camden.”