Permian rolls past Mansfield

BROWNWOOD The Permian Panthers scored on all but two offensive possessions Saturday — one was a missed field goal and the other as time expired near the goal line — in a 60-21 thrashing of Mansfield in a Class 5A Division I bi-district playoff game at Gordon Wood Stadium in Brownwood.

Taylor Byrd rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two others, Jamison Berryhill rushed for two TDs and Eugene Neboh returned an interception for a score to help lead the way. Also, Melvis Pride, Shai Biggerstaff and Joseph Knighten all had one touchdown reception each and Esai Sotelo had a rushing touchdown.

District 3-5A champion Permian (11-0) advanced to play El Paso Montwood (10-1) in the area round of the playoffs at 2 p.m. next Saturday at Ratliff Stadium. Montwood beat San Angelo Central 28-24 on Friday night in San Angelo, preventing a trip to San Angelo for the Panthers.

The 60-point effort was one shy of Permian’s playoff single-game scoring record of 61, which was set twice in 1992 during victories against Amarillo Palo Duro and El Paso Eastwood. The Panthers did have two extra points blocked and missed a two-point conversion try against the Tigers, however.

Byrd scored on a 7-yard run to open the scoring on Permian’s first offensive possession and Neboh then returned his interception 29 yards for a score and 13-0 lead less than six minutes into the game.

A Permian defensive stand at the end of the first half halted a 10-play Mansfield drive that had reached Permian’s 11-yard line, eventually resulting in a missed field goal.

The Panthers responded with an eight-play, 80-yard drive and Berryhill scored his first TD of the game on a 4-yard run for a 19-0 lead.

Mansfield did battle back within 19-7 when Logan Hodges caught a 48-yard touchdown pass from Dan Green with 9:40 left in the first half and the Tigers seemed to have gained momentum when Permian faced a fourth-and-1 from its own 34-yard line.

However, punter Alan Castillejos hit Neboh for a 6-yard pickup and a first down on the fake punt. They keyed an 11-yard touchdown drive that ended when Byrd scored from 3 yards out for a 26-7 lead.

If that didn’t kill Mansfield’s will, Permian took care of that just before halftime when Berryhill scored his second touchdown of the game on a 5-yard run

Permian took the ball over with just 1:22 left in the half, but Byrd directed an eight-play, 71-yard march to Berryhill’s 5-yard score with 17 seconds to play in the first half.

Pride then scored on a 24-yard pass from Byrd to open the second half, giving Permian a 40-7 lead.

Mansfield answered Permian’s TD on its opening drive of the second half to pull back within 40-14 on a 5-yard run by Daniel Green, but the Panthers moved ahead 46-14 when Biggerstaff caught a 23-yard pass from Byrd.

Then with just 42 seconds left in the third quarter, Knighten caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Panthers backup quarterback Trevor Adams for a commanding 53-14 edge.

Tigers star running back Stepfan Taylor scored on an 11-yard pass from Green early in the fourth quarter to pull Mansfield within 53-21, but Sotelo scored on a 1-yard run to put Permian ahead 60-21 with 5:41 to play.

Panthers senior running back Jamison Berryhill scored his second touchdown of the game on a 5-yard run with 17 seconds to play in the first half for a 33-7 halftime lead. Permian took the ball over with just 1:22 left in the half, but quarterback Taylor Byrd led an eight-play, 71-yard march to Berryhill’s 5-yard score.

Permian was near the end zone in the waning seconds, but elected not to snap the ball from Mansfield’s 1-yard line with less than 20 seconds to play.