Connor May is an NAU School of Communication student assigned to cover high school football for AZPreps365.com

An early 14-point lead wasn’t enough for the Coconino Panthers, as the Lee Williams Volunteers mounted a strong second half, including 21 unanswered points, to win 35-21 on Oct. 16.

The Panthers would start out hot, with senior receiver Austin Raths catching an 81-yard touchdown on the second play of the game. They would promptly force a fumble giving them a first-and-goal and a Bruce Larsen rushing touchdown to give them a 14-0 lead only 3 minutes into the game. 

The tides started to turn though, with senior running back Lucas Leist starting the comeback, going 67 yards for Lee Williams' opening touchdown. Soon after, senior Forrest Lane would break off another long run, tying the game at 14. Turning to the defense, Lane would record a pick-6 off quarterback Jabar Nichols at the end of the first half.

“He’s a competitor,” Panthers head coach Josh Clouse said. “He wants to compete. He made a mistake. We had many mistakes. One play doesn’t make or break a game. He owned it and he said he was going to come back and ball out in the second half. He did just that.”

The third quarter would mark a shift as both defenses came to play. Lee Williams looked like they would punt on the opening drive, instead turning to a successful fake. It wouldn’t amount to much, as linebacker Daniel Villas tipped and intercepted a pass of his own, giving Coconino the ball. It would only lead to another punt, which in turn kept Lee Williams deep in their own territory. When it was Lee Williams’ turn to punt it was blocked, tying the game up at 21.

Leist would break the offensive drought, putting up a rushing touchdown to give Lee Williams the lead late in the fourth.

Coconino would find themselves in a familiar situation. Down by a touchdown with time dwindling the team would march into Lee Williams territory before the defense locked up. Nichols would be sacked on fourth down, effectively ending the game. Leist would break off another long run to end the game with a final score of 35-21. 

“Lucas is a heck of a runner,” Clouse said. “We knew that coming in. Our tackling was still too high on him at times. They had some good schemes, got him out in the open and once he’s at full speed, he’s a load to bring down or to catch.”

With the loss Coconino drops to 3-5, with Lee Williams rising to 6-2. The Panthers will head to Bradshaw Mountain to play the Bears on Friday, Oct. 23.