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High-powered Panthers offense to test Elgin core
The Wildcats return from their bye week on Friday to a home crowd still looking for the team’s first win of the season.
Elgin (0-5, 0-2 in district) will host Liberty Hill (3-2, 2-0) Oct. 10 at Wildcat Stadium. The Wildcats last fell 55-20 to Pflugerville, while the Panthers rolled past Navarro 64-0 before the break.
Despite the slow start, head coach Rich Lucero said the focus for his team remains on staying united and trusting the process.
“We hold them together by just reminding them who we are and where we’re going as a program,” Lucero said. “Obviously, the challenges are different this year because we don’t have the same explosiveness on offense or the same level of returning production on defense. Those things are glaring, but again, it’s about relying on our core values.”
Senior Michael Mejias leads Elgin’s offense with 236 rushing yards and five touchdowns. The Wildcats have rotated at quarterback between junior Trey Flores and senior Jeremiah Nicholson, who scored his first touchdown of the season against Pflugerville.
Elgin is averaging 9.4 points per game and will face a Liberty Hill defense allowing 29.8. The Panthers’ offense, averaging 44.6 points per game, is fueled by a deep backfield of Pierre Dylan Belinga, Bryce Muchaw, Preston Benefield and Bryce Byrn, who have combined for more than 1,700 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.
That production, along with Liberty Hill’s unconventional slot-T formation, will test the Wildcats defensively. Elgin’s defense, allowing more than 40 points on average, is led in tackles and tackles for a loss by seniors Matthew Clear and Lewis Reese.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Wildcat Stadium.
