CARY - Evenly matched, low scoring affairs between Cary and Panther Creek are nothing new. After non-offensive touchdowns by both teams accounted for the scoring in a first half that ended tied 7-7, this year’s game promised to be no exception in a rivalry game the Catamounts won 7-0 two years ago and 10-7 last season.

But after both offenses struggled in the first half, the Imps’ ground game and play action offense came alive in the third quarter to open up a lead Cary’s suffocating defense never relinquished in a 19-7 win.

Cary’s D, surrendering 11.1 points per game entering Friday’s showdown, was as at its best from start to finish for coach Ben Kolstad, whose team improved to 6-2 and dropped Panther Creek to 6-3 (5-2 Tri-Nine.)

“We struggled on defense against Fuquay and Middle Creek. Two good teams exposed some of our weaknesses,” Kolstad said of his defense, which limited the Catamounts to 70 yards rushing. “But our guys have continued to work hard and we have made some adjustments. We played tough tonight and didn’t give them an inch—their only score was a pick-six.”

Cary broke it open with a pair of third quarter touchdowns, and then held the Catamounts scoreless the rest of the way for the win.

Catamounts running back David Mayaka fumbled at the Panther Creek 49 on the opening drive of the second half and Cary’s Cardavion Payne recovered it to set up the first offensive touchdown of the night.

Taking over in Panther Creek territory after the fumble, quarterback Connor Chase moved the Imps into the red zone with a 41-yard play-action bomb to wide-open tight end Jackson Gomez, who was brought down at the Panther Creek 6-yard line. Cary running back DeAndre Henry found the end zone on a sweep around the left side on the following play to make it 13-7 Cary after a missed extra point.

After forcing a three-and-out by Panther Creek, the Imps stretched the lead to 19-7 when Marquise Sherrod-Cooper burst through the left side and outran the Catamounts for a 52-yard touchdown with 5:22 left in the third quarter.

That was more than enough for Cary, which never allowed Panther Creek inside the red zone. A strip sack and fumble recovery in the waning minutes by Caleb Glass, who scored on a first quarter kick return for a touchdown, sealed the victory.

Both defenses excelled in the first half, when the Imps and Catamounts combined to gain only 124 yards.

The way both defenses were playing, it was only fitting that the scoreless tie was broken by a defender. Late in the first quarter, Chase’s pass in the flat bounced off the hands of Elijah Bryant and into the waiting arms of a streaking Dorrel McClain, who raced 48 yards untouched into the end zone to make it 7-0 Catamounts with 14 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

But Panther Creek’s lead was short-lived, as Glass returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 7. A missed 47-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter by PC’s Garrett Lang was the closest the Catamounts would come to scoring.

“I’m proud of the way our team played overall,” Kolstad said. “Our leadership showed tonight. We lost two tough ones to these guys the last two years. We wanted it bad and I think that was the difference tonight.”