‘Mental mistakes’ cost Marengo High School against Fruitdale

FRUITDALE – Marengo High School head coach Eberne Myrthil said mental mistakes cost his Panthers a shot at victory Friday night, as MHS fell to Fruitdale 14-6 in Class 1A, Region 1 action.

“We started off with three first quarter turnovers and that really put us in a hole,” said Myrthil, in his first year at the helm of the Panther program. “They got on us 14-0 in the first quarter. We moved the ball all night, but then we would have a penalty or a turnover. We really beat ourselves.”

MHS trimmed the margin to 14-6 on a 13-yard Calvin Ferguson run in the third. The Panthers kept it a one possession game, but a turnover on downs with less than a minute to play sealed the outcome.

“We were able to compile yards,” Myrthil said. “Our quarterback (Cordarius Pritchett) made some good plays. We were prepared but just didn’t play well. I told the team we will work hard Monday on correcting mental mistakes. You’ve got to give credit to Friutdale, too,” the coach continued. “They took advantage of our turnovers and moved the ball and controlled the clock.”

MHS (1-1, 0-1) travels to Chickasaw for another region game Friday night.