Panthers use ground attack to beat Sparta

SPARTA -- If it ain't broke, don't mess with it.
The Pinckneyville Panthers used a bruising ground attack -- mostly from junior Darian Harris -- to roll past Sparta, 28-18, Friday night on the road to open SIRR Mississippi Division play.
The Panthers are now 3-1 overall and take their 1-0 conference mark into this Friday's home game against unbeaten Du Quoin.
Harris carried the ball 31 times for 156 yards and a pair of touchdowns. As a team, the Panthers rushed the ball 54 times for 234 yards and only attempted four passes.
Harris scored on a 6-yard touchdown with 7:23 left in the first quarter and Ben Restoff's extra-point kick gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead going into the second period.
Chase Fulkerson scored from 6 yards a minute into the quarter and Harris scored again from 4 yards with 4:06 left in the half as Pinckneyville increased the lead to 21-0.
Sparta got on the board with a 26-yard run by Tony Williams just over a minute later and got within 21-12 on a 68-yard punt return in the third quarter.
But the Panthers extended the lead with a short touchdown run by Fulkerson with 2:28 remaining.
The Bulldogs made it interesting when Williams broke free for a 54-yard run with just over a minute left, but the Panthers were able to run out the clock.
Fulkerson and Stetson Lappin both had nine tackles to lead the Pinckneyville defense. Tyler Essary had eight and Lucas Downard had six.
Fulkerson also had an interception and both Lappin and Essary recovered fumbles in the victory.
In addition to the offensive workload from Harris, the Panthers also gave the ball to Downard (seven carries for 29 yards) and Fulkerson (six for 44).