This week the 'Game of the Week' failed to deliver but the Hermitage Panthers sure did. Within 5 minutes the Panthers had a 12-0 lead and by the end of the first quarter it was 20-0. Hermitage came out attacking from the start, not just on offense but defense as well.

The defense did a great job of limiting the big play potential of Godwin QB Luke Calveric and neutralizing WR Justin Harris. The offense was red hot with the trio of Jaylen Burton, Jhakiri Bolden & Jeremiah Coney combining for four first half touchdowns.

In the second half, Mills Godwin had their opportunities to get back in this game. Twice the Eagles had a short field to work with and came up with nothing to show for. That would be as close as the Eagles would come to Hermitage in the second half.

In a Region 5C clash among long-time Colonial District & west end foes, the Panthers prevailed and left little doubt who the best team in the Colonial District is as the playoffs near.

Hermitage put together a whopper of a first quarter.

The Panther defense held Mills Godwin to a 3 & out on their first possession, Breon Gunnell recovered an Eagle fumble on the first snap of the Eagles second possession. Not enough? Corey Morton almost plucked an Eagle pass out of the air but instead the defense forced the Eagles to another 3 & out.

It was not until the Eagles fourth possession of the game that Godwin recorded their first, first down.

Meanwhile Hermitage's Jhakiri Bolden & Jaylen Burton hooked up not once but twice...

The first Bolden-Burton TD came with Bolden rumbling 52 yards and the other came from 34 yards out on the first snap of the Panthers second possession.

The only time the Panthers did not score in the first quarter was when they fumbled only for Godwin to recover.

As we transitioned into he second quarter, despite Godwin moving the ball down the field finally, the Panther defense continued to make plays... such as when Jeremiah Coney got to Luke Calveric with a sack. That move led to a Godwin punt.

Secorey Bolden also got in the sack action when when he got Calveric on the Eagles next possession. A 13-yard loss, the Eagles would not recover.

Meanwhile Hermitage had no trouble scoring with Jeremiah Coney crashing the end zone twice...

Coney capped a 93-yard, 6 play drive for which he accounted for 81 yards including a big 68 yard run and a 1-yard touchdown.

Coney followed that up with a 38-yard touchdown run less than three minutes later on a 45-yard, 2 play drive.

The Panther shutout came to an end, however, when the Eagles put together a 76-yard, 10 play drive that saw Calveric hit Lee Gwyn in the end zone from 15 yards out.

As the half came to a close, Hermitage had a 27-7 lead.

The third quarter saw two touchdowns, two turnovers and a missed opportunity for the Eagles.

Hermitage opened the second half with a 3-play, 57-yad drive that ended with QB Jaylen Burton scoring from 20 yards out to increase the Panther lead to 34-7. That would be the lone highlight for the Panthers in the third quarter.

Hermitage would turnover the ball twice. The first one came following a Mills Godwin touchdown on the ensuing return. The second would come on a penalty plagued possession. The Panthers would be called for holding and two consecutive false starts so that the Panthers were facing 3rd & 25 and that is when the Panthers coughed up the ball.

With penalties and turnovers, one would think the Eagles could climb back in the contest and they did sort of... scoring one touchdown. The Eagles appeared to be held to a 3 & out but due to a Hermitage penalty, the drive stayed alive. The Eagles got to the 31 of Hermitage and appeared as if they would get no further until... you guessed it, penalty. Panthers hit with a roughing the passer call. Moments later Luke Calveric was tossing his second TD of the night, this time to Chris Harper.

After the first Herm turnover the Eagles had the ball at the 27 but could not find the end zone again. Marcus Orpiano picked up 5 yards from the start and another run netted the Eagles two more yards but two incomplete passes ended the Eagle threat. A sure fire missed opportunity for the Eagles.

Following another Hermitage turnover, the Eagles could not capitalize.

Hermitage would get the ball back and grind out the clock with a nearly 6 minute, 73-yard drive. A drive that saw Seth Athey chew up 33 yards on the ground including a 2-yard end zone shot.

The Eagles would put together a long drive themselves and while the football found the end zone, it did not do so with an Eagle but rather a Panther. 66 yards on 12 plays, the Eagles Luke Calveric was slinging it around but Damari Mason made the play in the end zone, intercepting the Calveric pass and ending the drive and putting a cap on the game.

Jeremiah Coney of Hermitage with 178 yards on 13 carries and 2 TD's.

Jaylen Burton of Hermitage with 163 yards of offense & 3 TD's with 142 yards and 2 TD's in the air on 7 of 8 passes.

Hermitage is now 21-16 all-time against Mills Godwin.

Hermitage's 28-point win is the largest margin of victory against the Eagles since 2001.

Hermitage had not scored 40+ points against Mills Godwin since 2014.