Marengo High keeps playoff hopes alive with 52-36 win

DIXONS MILLS – Marengo High School kept its playoff hopes alive Thursday night with a 52-36 whipping of previously once-beaten J.U. Blacksher.

“All in all, we played a solid football game,” said Marengo head coach Eberne Myrthil. “At first I thought it would be one of those games that whoever had the ball last would win. In the first half we just traded touchdowns with them, but in the second half we played with more defensive intensity.”

The Panthers broke the game open with two defensive touchdowns – a 60-yard Floyd Simmons scoop-and-score and a 106-yard Dajaquan Boulder interception return.

“We also ran the ball well again tonight,” the coach said. “We had over 400 yards rushing.”

Marengo, 5-4 and 2-3 in Class 1A, Region 1, looks ahead to a critical matchup against J.F. Shields at home next Friday. “We’ve got to win to have a shot at making the playoffs,” Myrthil said. “We’ve got to take care of business. Some of those early season losses are hurting us now, but we are really putting it together down the stretch. We’ve got to win – that’s the only thing we can control.”

Dewon Pritchett set the pace Thursday with 202 yards rushing and a touchdown. Travarious Harris added 130 yards rushing and a touchdown in addition to recording 12 tackles on defense. Simmons finished with a rushing touchdown to go along with eight tackles and his fumble return score. Cordarius Pritchett scored a rushing touchdown while Shatavius Mitchell recorded seven tackles.