The community of Magazine packed the “Snake Den” Friday night with high anticipation of Rattler Sr High football. Want a seat? Take a number because there was standing room only as fans watched the Rattlers dominate the Bigelow Panthers in a lopsided 46-20 win.
Magazines defense got the Rattler faithful on their feet when Tatum Scott picked off a Panther pass on Bigelows very first offensive drive. But why stop there? Scott then marched the Magazine offense downfield closing out with a Quarterback sprint into the endzone giving the Rattlers a 6-0 lead. Bigelow then answered with a quick touchdown of their own. As Magazine took the field again, Xeng Yang turned on the spotlight as he darted downfield on a big run setting up yet another Magazine touchdown getting the “Snake Den” roaring with cheers as they lead 12-7 at the end of the first quarter.
If you like a good back and forth football game, then the second quarter was your kind of game. Bigelow bounced back and made it a ballgame in the closing seconds of the second quarter. With 0:37 seconds left in the half, the Panthers intercepted a Magazine pass and took it to the house. Bigelow doubled up by picking off the Rattlers again with 0:26 seconds left in the half and then scored bringing the halftime score to a tight 24-20 Magazine lead.
The first half was the last time the Bigelow Panthers would see points on the board though as Magazine came out with their fangs sharp and ready to put things away. The Magazine defense shut out the Panthers in the second half. The big-hitting Rattlers owned the Bigelow backfield striking them down at every attempt with massive hits. Offensively, Magazines Caleb Hyatt, Tatum Scott, Xeng Yang, Kaedon Trejo, and James Haugh gave a good ol’ fashioned ground and pound beatdown to the Bigelow defense throughout the 3rd and 4th quarter as Magazine pulled away with a final of 46-20 victory.
Head Coach, Doug Powell had this to say about the Rattlers season opener, “We still have a lot of things to improve upon, but overall we played well. We made crucial mistakes going into the half. The kind that loses you the game. I am proud of my team for rising to the challenge, stepping up to the adversity, and not wilting or cowering down to the situation. Winning the first game is a huge step toward our season goals. It was a good win, but Mt. Ida is waiting anxiously to punch us in the mouth next Friday.” Magazine will next see action on the road against Mt. Ida on September 9 at 7 p.m.
