Gladiators struggle to slow down Mart’s highlight reel offense

Image: Jasenio Anderson leads Italy’s offense downfield against Mart — The Italy Gladiators had tough sledding against the Mart Panthers defense throughout Friday night’s game. However, Italy’s quarterback Jasenio Anderson tallied one rushing touchdown and passed for another.

Jasenio Anderson leads Italy’s offense downfield against Mart — The Italy Gladiators had tough sledding against the Mart Panthers defense throughout Friday night’s game. However, Italy’s quarterback Jasenio Anderson tallied one rushing touchdown and passed for another. (Barry Byers)

The Mart Panthers head coached by Rusty Nail were anything but in Italy Friday night. State Champions in 2006 and runner-ups in 2008, and currently ranked 2nd in 1A-D1 behind 2009 champ Goldthwaite by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, Mart’s no huddle offense methodically controlled the game. The panthers scored on their opening drive when Jakeem Hoffman ran left from 5-yards out to put the Panthers up 6-0. The Panthers ran in the conversion to go ahead 8-0 with 6:47 still to go in the opening quarter.

Italy’s first possession stalled and Mart made the Gladiators pay when D’Shun Williams turned a short pass route into a 62-yard cut-back gallop to stretch the Panther advantage to 14-0, 5:27 left. A mishandled snap foiled the conversion attempt. Italy’s De’Andre Sephus advanced the ensuing kickoff to the 47-yard line of Mart. Italy’s offense was plagued by penalties and dropped passes forcing Jasenio Anderson to punt. Anderson booted a 55-yarder to pen the Panthers at their own 10.

Mart remained stranded near their own endzone thanks to a hard tackle by Ethan Saxon on first down and a sack by Ethan Simon on Mart quarterback Holden Strunck to force a fourth down punt by the Panthers.

Italy’s offense remained grounded and Anderson punted again. The first quarter ended with Mart driving at Italy’s 36-yard line. At the 9:42 mark of the second quarter, Mart completed a 10-yard pass to take a 20-0 lead. Strunck ran in for the bonus points to give Mart a 22-0 cushion.

An Anderson pass to Kyle Jackson gave Italy a first down at the 47 on their next offensive try. Runs by Jalarnce Jamal lewis of 12 and 21-yards setup a 2-yard touchdown dive by Anderson to put the Gladiators on the board 22-6.

Mart’s Hoffman added another touchdown with 6:23 left in the half followed by another run conversion by Strunck, 30-6 Panthers.

Mart passed for another score to lead 36-6 late in the second quarter but Italy’s Justin Buchanan stuffed the conversion attempt in the Panther backfield. A roughing the passer penalty against Mart setup a touchdown pass from Anderson to Jase Holden near the back of the endzone with :14 left in the half. The conversion attempt misfired and the half ended with Mart well in front 36-12.

Neither side budged in the third but Mart added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take a 48-12 lead. Showing no quit, Italy did manage one last touchdown in the closing seconds but the Mart Panthers, who annihilated Chilton last week 50-0, eventually celebrated their second straight win of the season, 48-18 over the Gladiators who are now 0-2.

Italy’s next game will be away on Friday, September 10 starting at 7:30 p.m. in Palmer against the Bulldogs.

Go Gladiators!