For the first time in a while, Manteno has debuted a new starting quarterback.
Give junior Logan Bufford a passing grade, so to speak, after the Panthers opened their season with a 33-20 home win against Johnsburg on Aug. 21.
Bufford, who took over after three-year starter Connor Harrod graduated, completed 13 of 23 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions.
“We’ve got room for growth,” Manteno coach RJ Haines said of Bufford. “(But) for his first varsity game, I don’t think it could have gone any better.”
Bufford also ran for 31 yards and a touchdown as the Panthers outscored the Skyhawks 14-0 in the fourth quarter to erase a 20-19 deficit.
David Asher had six catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns, Briggs Cann caught three passes for 69 yards and Jack Gotkowski added three catches for 53 yards.
Nick Honkisz ran 20 times for a game-high 116 yards and a TD for the Panthers.
“We had a lot of guys contribute on offense,” Haines said. “Three different receivers, that’s kind of how we want to go — run the ball with Nick and Logan. We feel we’ve got a lot of athletes.”
Haines also liked his team’s intensity.
“Overall, I feel like we outhit them,” he said. “We were more physical.”
Franklin Jordan led the Panthers’ defense with 14 tackles and an interception. Thomas Lawlor had 10 tackles and a tackle for loss.
“We tackled well,” Haines said. “That was probably the biggest thing defensively. D-line wise, we played extremely well.”
The Panthers hit the road for Week 2, traveling to Plano for a 7:15 kickoff on Aug. 28.
Yorkville 25, Crete-Monee 15: The Warriors lost on the road in a game that was delayed by lightning in the fourth quarter.
Crete opens its home schedule Aug. 28 vs. Hillcrest. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.