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Porum rallies to beat Webbers Falls

Biggest scoring total in almost two years

Porum’s football team refused to be put down after falling behind by 20 points in the third quarter of its season opener at home against Webbers Falls on Thursday, Sept. 1.

Rather, the Panthers came back to win 50-38 for its first season-opening win in three years.

“[Assistant] coach [Norm] Powell said it was the hardest he’d seen the Porum team fight. It was a really big win for us,” said head coach Kenny Hokit. “As young as we are, it’s huge for us to come back like that.”

After Webbers Falls scored first on a deep touchdown pass, Porum marched back to answer. Colt McMellon ran eight yards for a touchdown to tie it at six. The Warriors’ Dakota Reed connected with Tommy Coppin for a 57-yard touchdown pass with 3:42 left in the first quarter.

Webbers Falls added another score to finish the opening period with an 18-6 lead. After Reed ran 51 yards for a touchdown, Porum gave its first surge. Travis Terrell ran four yards for a touchdown, making it 24-12.

A Webbers Falls turnover on downs on its 43-yard line gave Porum a short drive, which ended in a seven-yard touchdown run by Drew Spradlin on an end around. Webbers Falls started the second half by returning a kickoff for a touchdown.

Reed intercepted a pass by McMellon on the Warriors’ one-yard line. With 6:47 left in the third quarter, a short touchdown trot by Colton Crane gave Webbers Falls a 38-18 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, Terrell ran to the Warriors’ 21-yard line, sending the message that Porum was not done yet.

Then, McMellon rushed 21 yards for a score, cutting the margin to 38-26. Later in the third quarter, Terrell returned an interception to Webbers Falls’ 29-yard line, setting up a score to make it 38-34. McMellon dashed 35 yards for a touchdown with 7:32 left in the game, putting Porum ahead 42-38.

“We get down in practice. Coach Powell kills us in practice. We executed. It showed in the fourth quarter,” McMellon said.

With a 12-player roster, Webbers Falls was worn late in the game against a team with twice as many players. The Warriors used their last timeout with 5:41 left entering a fourth down situation at Porum’s 43-yard line. Porum’s defenders tackled the rusher behind the line of scrimmage to force a turnover on downs. A few plays later, McMellon ran 35 yards for a touchdown, giving Porum a 12-point lead and its biggest scoring total since Oct. 10, 2014.

“He came in during the offseason with a leadership mentality,” Hokit said of how the quarterback has started to mature.

Porum plays Haileyville (1-1) on Sept. 9. Hokit said he feels excited about what a win against Haileyville could bring.

“We want to go against Weleetka 2-0 and we’ve accomplished half of that,” he said.

Stigler News-Sentinel

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