Driving into Pinckneyville, visitors are greeted by a sign proclaiming it “The Friendly Little City.”
On Friday, there was nothing friendly about Mother Nature, or little about the effect she once again is having on the young football season.
With the Panthers leading 7-0 and 2:02 left in the first quarter in the Southern Illinois River to River crossover matchup, officials stopped the game after seeing lightning. After waiting an hour the game was postponed until 7 p.m. Saturday.
The teams chose to play Saturday night instead of earlier Saturday because that is when the officials could make it.
It’s the second time in three weeks Benton has had its game suspended.
“Nothing anybody can do about it,” Benton coach Bob Pankey said. “We’ll regroup and come back tomorrow night and follow the same plan. We’ve done it before, we’ll do it again.”
The delay began at 7:26 p.m. The teams tried to wait out the weather in part because Benton didn’t want another two-day, suspended football game.
The Rangers (1-1) began the season against Carterville in a game that started on a Friday but was suspended because of lightning and finished the following Saturday night.
“There’s an ebb and flow to the game, momentum changes,” Pankey said. “You kind of start the whole process over. It’s really not good for anybody to have to do that. But again, it can’t be controlled.”
Pinckneyville (0-2) took a 7-0 lead in the opening 10 minutes in large part by dominating field position.
Lucas Downard returned the opening kickoff 36 yards to give the Panthers a first down in Benton territory. Two quick motion penalties on Pinckneyville helped stall the opening drive, but the Panther defense got the ball right back with a 3-and-out.
“Downard had a nice return, got good field position,” Panthers coach Todd Thomas said. “We take a lot of pride on special teams.”
Again starting with great field position at the Rangers’ 29-yard line, quarterback Brian Kling pitched to Colton King on an option run to the right for an 11-yard gain. Kling then ran the option to the opposite side, and Alex Howard took the pitch and rambled 16 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown with 7:48 left in the first quarter.
Dylan Carns booted the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
Pinckneyville recovered a fumble on Benton’s next drive to take over at the Rangers’ 31. The Panthers were marching toward another touchdown with a 1st-and-goal when Howard limped off the field with what appeared to be a left ankle injury.
Benton’s defense forced a 24-yard field goal attempt that sailed wide.
“I thought we had a good defensive stand to keep them from scoring points,” Pankey said. “We’ve got to establish some offense.”
The Rangers finally turned the field position in their favor on a 19-yard pass from Hamilton Page to Oliver Davis, a 15-yard face mask penalty, and a 34-yard punt from Bryden Picklesimer.
That backed the Panthers up to their own 10-yard line, which is when lightning was spotted north of the field, and officials sent both teams to their locker rooms.
The public address announcer asked fans to leave the metal bleachers and take shelter either in their cars or the auxiliary gym. A little later, he announced the game would resume Saturday night.
“It’s nice to be up,” Thomas said. “We just have to get back at it tomorrow and regroup. It is what it is.”
