Perryville falls to Fort Zumwalt North

Late in the fourth quarter, Fort Zumwalt North must have had visions of last year's near escape with Perryville dancing in their heads.

But Panthers linebacker Casey Stillman made all visions turn to victory with one play.

Stillman wrestled away an interception to stop Perryville's potential game-winning drive before and the Panthers turned a perilous 17-12 lead into a 24-12 victory Friday at Zumwalt North.

On second-and-8 from Perryville's 8-yard line and just more than 5 minutes to play, Perryville quarterback Jacob Hayden threw in the direction of Marcus Walton, but Stillman pounced on the route, got his hands on the ball and secured it while rolling to the turf.

It was the second interception in three plays, as Perryville's Josh Hayden had won a jump-ball battle with Zumwalt North's James Maxwell at the 4-yard line just two plays earlier.

After Stillman's pick, the Panthers scored when fullback Jared Howell scampered from 1-yard out for the touchdown that sealed it.

After 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points last year, Perryville fell a two-point conversion short of a miraculous comeback. On Friday, the Panthers led 17-0 after a touchdown on the first series of the second half.

But the Pirates started to march late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, fueled by a 44-yard completion from Jacob Hayden to Joe Krentler. Four players later, on fourth-and-8, Perryville scored on a 12-yard halfback pass from Kris Cottner to Krentler.

After an unsuccessful two-point attempt, the Panthers' Terrell Lloyd started to return the ensuing kickoff, but dropped the football while making a cut.

Cottner was there to scoop up the loose ball and trot in 20 yards for the touchdown. After another failed two-point try, the Pirates trailed just 17-12 with 9:42 to play.

"Our kids showed a lot of heart and character tonight," Perryville coach Rick Chastain said. "We're a young, inexperienced team and we showed a lot, we showed a lot of heart. I can think of nothing but positive things to say at this moment about our kids.

"I am very pleased with their effort. They could have rolled over at halftime, but they didn't. They came back and I'm very proud of them."

-- Chris Gump,

Special to the Southeast Missourian

St. Vincent 21, Park Hills Central 14

St. Vincent overcame a 14-7 halftime deficit to defeat visiting Park Hills Central 21-14 Friday night for its first win since last year's Class 1 state title game.

St. Vincent quarterback Tim Guilliams ran for all three of the Indians' touchdowns.

Park Hills attacked first with a 77-yard touchdown pass.

Guilliams then scored on a 14-yard run with slightly under a minute remaining in the first half, but Park Hills returned the following kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.

In the third quarter, St. Vincent used a 10-minute, 78-yard drive capped by an eight-yard touchdown run by Guilliams on fourth down to knot the score.

With 55 seconds remaining in the game, Guilliams scored again on a 20-yard run.

The Indians improved to 1-1 with the win.

St. Charles West 24, Central 14

Hykeem Hammonds rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns but it wasn't enough to overcome three second-half turnovers as the Tigers fell to 0-2.

Hammonds scored on a 10-yard run midway through the second quarter for Central's first points of the season. The score came after defensive lineman Patrick Chapman recovered a fumble at the Warrior 20. Andy Billmeyer's kick upped the lead to 7-3, which the Tigers took into halftime.

The low-scoring affair changed in the fourth quarter, as the lead changed hands three times.

St. Charles West (1-1) regained the lead on the first play of the fourth quarter, scoring on a 41-yard drive after a Central fumble. Erik Hart scored on a 1-yard run, and Zach Ring added the kick for a 10-7 lead.

Hammonds added his second touchdown with 7:22 remaining on a 5-yard run. Billmeyer's kick gave Central a 14-10 lead.

St. Charles West retaliated on its next possession, as James Russell broke loose for a 53-yard touchdown run with 5:49 remaining.

Central then moved to the Warrior 25, but an interception ended the drive. Clifton Brown iced the game with a 91-yard touchdown run with 1:54 left.

Portageville 19, Scott City 16

Scott City fell to 0-2 with a loss to visiting Portageville.

Jonathan Barr's 7-yard run in the first quarter gave the Rams an early 8-0 edge, and Scott City led 8-6 at halftime.

Jamie Pinkston scored on a 20-yard run for Scott City to tie the score at 16-16 in the third quarter, but Portageville converted a 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

Corning (Ark.) 46, Chaffee 6

Chaffee received a pounding from visiting Corning (Ark.) to fall to 0-2.

The loss served as Chaffee's 26th straight.

-- From staff reports