MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Huntingdon rallied in the second half to top LaGrange 8-6 in the USA South opener for both teams Thursday night. The Panthers (0-4, 0-1 USA South) are still seeking their first win, while Huntingdon is now 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the conference.
Sophomore Jaxson Crews led LC. Crews had a game-high three goals. Kyro Holland had a pair of goals in the first half. Nathaniel Moore had a goal, while Tareyon Delgado and Jack Bryan each had an assist.
The game marked a homecoming for LC coach Brandon Sewell. Sewell played and coached at Huntingdon before starting LC's program.
"We were definitely prepared for this game, we just didn't execute," Sewell said. "Our turnovers gave them extra opportunities that they capitalized off of and made us pay. For us to expect to win our passing and catching needs to improve."
Both teams had 31 shots in the game. Huntingdon had a slight 20-17 edge in shots on goal. The Panthers turned the ball over 31 times in the game but had a 11-6 advantage in face offs.
Huntingdon opened the scoring just over a minute into the game. LC answered with three straight goals. The first came just 48 seconds after the Hawks' opening goal. The Panthers controlled the face off and Crews had a shot go wide. But Bryan found Holland, who beat the goalie, to tie the score. After a save by goalie Isaac Bohrer and a successful clear, Holland found the back of the net again off an assist from Delgado for a 2-1 lead.
Nathaniel Moore's unassisted goal gave the Panthers a 3-1 lead with 5:19 left in the first period. The Hawks needed less than a minute to trim the deficit to 3-2. Crews' first goal of the game came on the final play of the period for a 4-2 lead.
In the second period, the Panthers had a 6-4 shot advantage but were unable to add to their lead. The Hawks got the period's only goal with 49 seconds remaining to make it 4-3 at halftime.
Huntingdon took advantage of a man-up opportunity early in the third period to tie the game 4-4. Crews' gave the Panthers a brief 5-4 lead with an unassisted goal. The Hawks finished the period with two unanswered goals for a 6-5 lead heading to the final period.
Huntingdon pushed its lead to 8-5 with two more goals in a span of less than three minutes. Crews' final goal of the game came unassisted with 6:13 left in the game. In the game's final minute, the Panthers pressed the attack but had three shots on goal saved and a fourth shot go wide.
The Panthers are off until March 28 when they host Brevard in a USA South contest.
For continuing coverage of Panther athletics, stay up to date with our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
