By John Glover
THE DAILY NEWS

The Varnado Wildcats hosted the Tensas Panthers this past Friday. Varnado went into the game on a three-game winning streak. Tensas was hoping to shake two consecutive losses.
The Wildcats took control of the game early on. D.J. Jefferson and the Wildcats made it onto the board three minutes into the first quarter. From the Panthers’ 28-yard line, Jefferson handed off to Delrick Abrams, who took it out to the right and ran it in for the touchdown. The extra point kick fell short and the score was 6-0.
The Wildcats offense returned to the field after a brief possession by the Panthers who were held at the fourth down by the Wildcats. Jefferson worked with Abrams and Nick Darden to put the Wildcats back into scoring position. A quick handoff to Armontee Kemp from the Panthers 29-yard line took the Wildcats to the endzone for their second touchdown of the game. The extra point was wide, keeping the score 12-0 in Varnado’s favor.
The Panthers offense regrouped and made a five play push down field. Jalen Gray focused his efforts on Tarrance Gales and Prentiss Gilmore to move the ball from their own 15-yard line into Wildcats territory. From the Wildcats 3 yard-line, Gray made the hand off to Gilmore who push through the center of the Varnado defense and put the Panthers on the board. Gray went for the conversion with a hand off to Grant Jackson who slips through a line of Wildcats, which set the score at 12-8.
Back in possession, the wild cats make a quick three play drive down field for 54 yards which ended with Jefferson handing off to Abrams from the 8. Abrams took it up the middle and into the endzone. The two-point conversion was no good. At the end of the first quarter, the score move was 18-8.
Gray and the Panthers opened up the second quarter with a fumble at their own12 yard line. It was recovered by a pile of Wildcats and put them back in scoring position. Jefferson made a hand off to Desmond Harry from the eight yard-line for the touchdown. The two-point pass was incomplete, keeping the score, 24-8, with 10 minutes left in the half. Varnado regained possession in Tensas territory with two minutes left in the half. Deroldrick Jefferson made two quick handoffs, both to Abrams. The first from the 32 yard-line for a gain of 28 yards and the second for the touchdown. Jefferson’s conversion attempt with a pass to Kemp was good and the first half ended with the score at 32-8.
The Panthers opened the second half on offense, but Errol Varnado intercepted a pass Wildcats on the second play of the second half. Jefferson and the Wildcats capitalized on the opportunity with a four-play drive down field. At the 35-yard line, Jefferson made a hand off to Abrams who takes it along the outside dodging three Panthers on the way to another Wildcats touchdown and the fourth for Abrams in the game. Jefferson went with the pass to Jamarion Davis on the conversion. It was good and the Wildcats moved to a 40-8 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The Wildcats switched to Harry as the quarterback in their last charge of the game. It was Harry with the quarterback keep from the 43-yard line, who made the final touchdown, of the game. The Wildcats went for two and Harry ran in for the conversion to finalize the scoring at 48-8.
Varnado moves on to face third-seeded Haynesville. Haynesville had a bye week during the first round of the playoffs.