11-13-2021
BY JACK BULLOCK
NASHVILLE - Saturday's trip by Pana to Nashville to play a 2A quarterfinal football was summed up in a simple, albeit tongue in cheek, statement by Panthers' head coach Trevor Higgins.

“I really hate this place,” said Coach Higgins, after his team lost back-to-back playoff games to the Hornets in Nashville. “It was like a rerun.”

Nashville had handed the Panthers a 41-19 loss in the quarterfinals in 2019 at home.

Behind four touchdown runs by senior running back Connor Gladson and a defense that forced the issue on seemingly every play, the Hornets have advanced to the Final Four of the 2A playoffs with a 43-19 win.

Coach Stephen Kozuszek's Nashville squad is now 11-1 on the season and will now host Decatur St. Teresa next Saturday in the semifinals.

If you are thinking that you have heard this report before you are correct in a way.

The path the Hornets took to the 2A state title game two seasons ago had nearly the same obstacles as the current team has navigated through so far.

The only difference has been the opening round win this year was over Mendon Unity while in the first round in 2019 Nashville shutout Villa Grove/Heritage.

In consecutive weeks in 2019 Nashville beat Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin on the road, Pana at home and Decatur St. Teresa the road.

Nashville has beaten two of those same three this postseason and if they go 3-for-3 they will be in DeKalb on Friday, November 26.

“Our first couple of drives were really, really good. I thought we kept them off balance and as the game went on you could really tell that they (Pana) were 'selling out' to stop our run game,” said Coach Kozuszek. When Kolton Gajewski, Nashville's 6-foot-6 senior quarterback, wasn't handing the ball off to Gladson he was making plays and setting up his teammates.

Gajewski was 10-of-23 passing for 297 and a pair of touchdown throws.

Gladson was the 'work-horse' as he has been all season as the 5-foot-11 senior plowed through the Panthers' defense 35 times for 101-yards and scores of five, 11, five and four yards in order.

Senior wide out Isaac Turner caught seven of the Gajewski throws for 189-yards and a touchdown while teammate senior Ben Reid also hauled in a long TD pass for his only catch.

Senior's Ian Blazier and Radyn Schwartzkopf each caught one pass in the victory.

“We knew early in the season that we were going to be able to make a run,” said Kolten Gajewski. “We really came together as a team. It's a brotherhood here and with the fan support it's amazing. Like Coach said we got better and better every week.”

If your looking, however, for the reason the Hornets picked up the win, look no further than the Nashville defense.

Pana had averaged nearly 41-points a game but the Hornets made the defensive plays when they counted as they ended the Panthers' season at 11-1.

Coach Kozuszek's defense came up with two huge defensive stops in the first half that led to the eventual victory.

This forced Pana to play from behind, something that Coach Higgins' team was not accustomed to in 2021-22.

“We got behind and every time we got the ball it seemed like we were trying to score quickly and that's just not how we were built this year,” said Coach Higgins. “That is how it is with playoff football. The team that plays the best is going to win and we didn't play our best today. Turnovers; it's the name of the game and we turned it over today. I'm proud of the kids. They battled today.”The Panthers were led by quarterback Max Lynch.

The 5-foot-11 junior was 12-of-24 passing for 100-yards with a touchdown and an interception.

He also was the top ground gainer for the Panthers as he ran the ball 22 times for 123-yards and a TD.

After taking the opening kickoff, Nashville powered its way down the field on an 11-play, 83-yard scoring drive.

Gajewski completed 2-of-3 passes in the scoring march, both to Turner.

His second connection with Turner, on a third-and-eight from the Pana 37, turned into a 32-yard pass and run to get the Hornets to the five-yard line.

Two plays later Gladson notched his first touchdown run of the day.

The PAT by sophomore kicker Eduardo Garibay made it 7-0 Nashville with 7:54 left in the first quarter.

The Panthers, on their first possession, marched down the field for a score.

Unlike a quick strike offensive blast from Nashville on the opening drive, Pana was methodical.

It took the visitors 16-plays to go the 68-yards they needed after taking the kickoff at their own 32.

The Panthers converted three third downs on the drive and Lynch did most of the running.

In fact Lynch carried the ball eight times in the 16-plays, including a 15-yard run that got the ball down to the Nashville 1-yard line.

It then took four plays to get in the end zone for Pana.

On fourth-and-goal, junior running back Monte Weddle got the Panthers on the scoreboard with a TD plunge.

The PAT from senior Bo Christer evened the game at 7-7 with 1:48 left in the first quarter.

It took the Hornets just five plays to cover 70-yards on their next possession.

Taking over on its own 30, Gajewski and Turner hooked up twice in the drive for big yardage.

Gajewski found Turner the first time on a slant route in which the senior receiver made the catch and run to the Pana 37-yard line.

After a holding penalty pushed the Hornets back to the Pana 45, Gajewski found Turner again on a post pattern and the senior wide out did the rest as he sprinted untouched into the end zone.

Although the PAT kick was blocked, Nashville led 13-7 at the 11:15 mark of the second quarter.

The best passing play of the game for Pana occurred on the next possession which got the Panthers into Nashville territory.

Lynch found senior wide receiver on a 35-yard completion, getting the Panthers to the Nashville 34.

But at this point, the Hornets' defense made the plays to get the ball back.

Gajewski forced a fumble by Lynch on a key third down, making it fourth-and-nine at the 32.

Lynch tried to make something happen when he scrambled out of trouble for a pass attempt.

But he was forced to throw an off balanced pass that ended up being incomplete, giving the hosts back the ball.

Nashville's next scoring drive was 68-yards on 11-plays.

Gladson carried the ball on five of those plays.

Faced with a fourth-and-three at the Pana 31, Gajewski found Turner open again.

This time the two seniors combined for a five-yard pass for a first down.

On third-and-12, Gajewski completed a pass to Blazier, who broke a tackle to get 17-yards down to the Pana 11.

Gladson scored on the next play, taking a hand-off and powering his way up the middle into the end zone for his second TD.

A two-point conversion try failed but the Hornets were still in control at 19-7 with 4:40 remaining in the half.