Paint Branch Defies Whitman to Continue
#3 seed Paint Branch (9-2) will face the #1 seed Sherwood Warriors (9-2) next Friday.
Photo By: Gene Huskey / GamedayMD.com | VIEW GALLERY
Paint Branch senior wide receiver and linebacker Ivan Tagoe caught nine passes for 101 yards and recorded five tackles on defense.
Photo By: Gene Huskey / GamedayMD.com | VIEW GALLERY
Sophomore defensive back, wide receiver Michael Flack went 3-28 on the night in receiving yards.
Photo By: Gene Huskey / GamedayMD.com | VIEW GALLERY
Written by Brandy L. Simms
BETHESDA, MD - Paint Branch punched its ticket to a second round date in the Class 4A playoffs by virtue of an 18-7 road victory over Whitman Friday night at Jerome M. Marco Stadium.
The win marked the Panthers first playoff victory since 1975.
No. 3 seed Paint Branch (9-2) will face the winner of Saturday's matchup between top-seeded Sherwood and Springbrook, the No. 4 seed in the 4A West Region. The Panthers lost to both teams during the regular season.
Meanwhile, Whitman, making its second playoff appearance in three years, finished the 2009 campaign with an 8-3 record.
Paint Branch sophomore running back Bene't Willis rushed for a game-high 117 yards on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns in the win.
"He's been doing that really for us all year and came up big," said Paint Branch Head Coach Mike Nesmith. "[He] had a couple fumbles but he bounced back. He dinged up his knee a little bit so I'm holding my breath waiting for the outcome of that."
Whitman scored in the first quarter on Kevin Cecala's 2-yard touchdown run with 6:22 remaining in the period to take a 7-0 lead.
In the second half, the Panthers scored 18 unanswered points while the defense shut down the potent Whitman offense that featured quarterback Henry Kuhn along with talented wide receivers Michael Flack and Larry Kline.
"After giving up that first score we just shut them out after that," said Paint Branch senior wide receiver and linebacker Ivan Tagoe, who caught nine passes for 101 yards and recorded five tackles on defense.
Willis scored on a 23-yard touchdown run with 7:17 remaining in the third quarter but Kline blocked the extra point which enabled the Vikings to hold onto the lead at 7-6.
Paint Branch later capitalized on a Whitman turnover when Torian Henderson scored on a 17-yard run with 3:08 remaining in the third quarter, giving the Panthers their first lead, 12-7.
After the Paint Branch defense forced a Whitman three and out, the Panthers' offense went back to work, mounting a 57-yard scoring drive capped by a 5-yard touchdown run by Willis.
"It's big for the school," said Nesmith. "First playoff win since 1975, I was one year old at the time but it's quite some time ago so it's great for the program."
