Panthers hold off furious Hubbard rally

Updated: August 26, 2011 11:49PM

Proviso West proved to visiting Hubbard that timing is everything as it pulled out a 21-18 victory in the season opener for both teams at Panther Stadium.

Hubbard controlled the ball for all but three minutes in the first quarter but failed to capitalize. The most costly error occurred on a second-and-2 from the Panthers’ 2-yard line when Jamal Payton returned an interception for 101 yards, putting Proviso West up 7-0.

The Panthers used a bit of trickery to open the third quarter as they executed a perfect on-side kick that led to a seven play, 47-yard drive, that was capped by a three-yard touch down run by quarterback Quincy Cole.

With 4:12 remaining in the fourth quarter Payton put Proviso ahead 21-12 with a 69-yard run off tackle. Hubbard quarterback Quincy Skanes (8-for-17, 164 yards) did his best to keep the Greyhounds in the game as he threw three touchdown passes — a 15-yard strike to Santanio Thomas, a 43-yard score to Malcolm Fitts and a 55-yarder to Ricky Vackstrom Skanes — in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough.

“We didn’t play our best football today but a win is a win but we’ll take the victory” Proviso West coach Famous Hulbert said. “Payton bailed us out today but he is that type of player and we expect a lot from him.

“Payton said he is highly motivated this season”

“I am playing with a chip on my shoulder,” Payton said. “I feel as though I deserved to be mention with the top 100 players in the area.

“I just have to let my game do the talking for me and prove everyone wrong”

Hubbard coach Elton Harris said his team just made too many mistakes.

“You can’t win games playing the way we did,” Harris said. “We didn’t play good defense and we should have capitalized more on offense.”

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