Written by: Danny Talbert
LaGrange, Ga.-- This Saturday (Oct. 28), the LaGrange College Panthers take on the Brevard Tornados at 3 p.m. The LaGrange College Panthers are 0-7 and are looking to get their first win over a very tough Brevard squad. The Tornados are 4-3 on the season, and 4-0 in-conference. The game is at Callaway Stadium but can also be streamed on the LaGrange College Athletics page here.
LaGrange College Panthers vs. Brevard Tornados | Stats | Video |
Location: Callaway Stadium | LaGrange, Ga.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023
Time: 3 p.m.
The Series
The Panthers are 1-6 all time and lost 24-10 in the most recent matchup to the Tornados (Oct. 22, 2022). The lone Panther win was a 38-28 victory on Sept. 23, 2017.
Scouting the Panthers
Junior Rashod Brockington has been the man at QB this year for the Panthers. He has thrown three touchdowns and 774 yards. Brockington is overall improving as the season has gone on, but at times he has forced passes that get picked off or are overthrown. Should he manage to continue to refine his pocket presence and decision-making skills, in addition to gaining better control over his arm, he will mature into a QB who poses a serious threat against opposing defenses. Goldman Butler VI has taken over as the primary Panther running back. In the seven games played, he has rushed for 400 yards and three touchdowns. In multiple games this year, Goldman has been a force to reckon with. Up until last week against Maryville, every defense has struggled to bring him down (Oct. 21). The Scots' form tackling combined with multiple offensive linemen being out, he only rushed for 16 yards on 16 carries. Look for a bounce back week for no. 9. While defense this year for the Panthers has allowed some high scoring games, the young squad has also caused turnover havoc for opposing defenses. In seven games, they have six forced fumbles and seven interceptions (and one on a 2-point play). This averages out to a superb two turnovers per game. Sophomore defensive back Deon King Jr. leads the team in turnovers with three interceptions and one forced fumble. The young Panther from Vienna, Ga. also has 41 tackles in six games played.
Scouting the Tornados
Sophomore Ethan Beamish has been at the helm for the Tornados offense this year. He has thrown for 153 completions on 241 attempts for 1861 yards. This averages out to 265 yards per game. Beamish has thrown a total of six interceptions and 17 touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Zachary Orr has been the go-to target. On 36 catches, he has accounted for 513 yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore Adam Douglas has scored the most touchdowns for this talented wide receiver core. He has five touchdowns and 347 yards on 26 catches. The third target that Beamish likes to hit is Cooper Hogan. On his 28 catches, he has 347 yards. Senior Georgia native Chancellor Lee-Parker has been the main Tornado running back this year. On 110 rushes, he has 734 yards and nine touchdowns. This averages out to an impressive 6.4 yards per carry. Graduate student linebacker Toby Naylor is the leading tackler for Bevard. He has 36 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, one sack and an interception. Junior defensive back Quintrell Bowman leads the team in forced turnovers with three interceptions. Similarly to Maryville, Brevard has a young and skillful QB and a team full of talented and older players. LaGrange will have to play well with all three units in order to win this tough matchup.
Career watch
Sophomore defensive lineman Jaylan Harris showed in the game against Maryville how he can be a game wrecker for opposing offenses (Oct. 21). In the matchup against the veteran Scots offensive line, the young Panther accounted for seven total tackles, led the team in tackles for a loss with 3.5 and sacks with three. If the 2022 USA South Offensive Rookie of the Year, Bryson Rollins, was down in the backfield, you would be smart to bet that it was because of Harris. This career game for the Hoover, Ala. native puts his 2023 stats at 29 tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss and a team-high five sacks. Jaylan Harris has proven his ability to make big plays and it will be exciting to see how he develops as a steel curtain on the field.
Senior day
This Saturday, the LaGrange College Athletic department will be celebrating the seven Panther seniors on this years football team.
-Lakevin Debruce is a defensive back from Birmingham, Ala. He is an exercise science major and has played in all seven games so far this season. He has two career interceptions and a forced fumble.
-Fredrick Jones is a wide receiver from Helena, Ga. He is a music technology major and has played in over 20 games as a Panther. He has made multiple big catches in the 2023 season.
-Keith Kpodar plays tight end and is from Atlanta, Ga. He has played in over 10 games here at LC. Keith has shown that he is a great blocker with the ability to make outstanding catches.
-Dana Lucas is a wide receiver from Snellville, Ga. He is earning a pre-medicine degree and played in over 25 games. He caught one touchdown this year.
-Dontre Mike plays defensive line and is from Jonesboro GA. Dontre has played in over 12 games as a Panther and forced a fumble in the 2022 season
-Tommy Mikell plays linebacker and is from Ellabell, Ga. Tommy has played in six games and had a fumble recovery in 2019.
-Nick Pittman is a linebacker who is from Campbellton, Fla. He is a sports management major and has played in nine games at LC. Nick has made multiple tackles for a loss this year.
Congratulations on graduating and good luck with your future endeavors!
When and where
Kickoff is at 3 p.m. in Callaway Stadium this Saturday (Oct. 28). If you want to watch but cannot travel to LaGrange, click here.
