Staff Reports

GADSDEN – Seven different Spring Garden football players scored touchdowns in the Class 2A, No. 8 Panthers’ 59-0 rout of Region 6 opponent Gaston on Friday.
It was only the second time in school history the Panthers (5-1, 4-0) defeated the Bulldogs (1-6, 0-4). The other win came in 1997.

Spring Garden scored 39 points in the first quarter. Luke Welsh got things going just 19 seconds into the game with a 59-yard touchdown run. Cam Welsh’s extra point made it 7-0.
Cooper Austin then scored on a 60-yard punt return to put the Panthers up 14-0 with 10:14 to in the first quarter. Andrew Floyd scored on a pair of 36-yard touchdown runs, with a Chaz Pope 25-yard touchdown reception from Ryley Kirk in between, to push the Panthers out to a 32-0 advantage. Cam Welsh capped the first-quarter scoring with a 20-yard fumble recovery.

Chapel Pope posted a pair of second-quarter scores on runs of 32 and 23 yards. The Panthers led 52-0 at halftime.

Connor Bates scored Spring Garden’s final touchdown on a 35-yard run with 3:14 to go in the game. Bates finished with 68 yards on five carries with the score.

Floyd led the Panther running games with 84 yards on just two carries – both for touchdowns. Chapel Pope had 67 yards on three totes with two scores.

Gavin Bass led the Panther defense with seven tackles. Larry Rogers had an interception and CJ Gowens had a fumble recovery.

Spring Garden hosts Westbrook Christian on Friday.