GREENBRIER — Good starts can be invaluable, and they don't get much better than what Greenbrier had Friday night.
The Panthers won their 5AWest Conference opener against Siloam Springs 42-24 at Don Jones Stadium, giving Siloam Springs its first loss of theseason. Hunter Winston was the focal point of Greenbrier's offense, rushing 26 times for 297 yards and four touchdowns.
Greenbrier (3-1, 1-0) scored on the game's firstpossession when Jo Oluokun picked up a fumbled option pitch by Siloam Springs and ran 81 yards for a touchdown. Greenbrier's Tyler Thomas then recovered a fumble on the Siloam Springs 35-yard line on theensuing kickoff, setting up a 3-yard touchdown run by Winston.
The Panthers took a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter when Winston brokefree for a 84-yard touchdown run.
"Things went well for us early in the game to give us a little mojo," Greenbrier coach Randy Tribble said.
Winston was called onagain near the end of the half, plunging in from 2 yards out to put Siloam Springs (3-1, 0-1) down 28-7 before the third quarter.
Greenbrier had 218 yards of total offense in the first half.
Problems arose in the third quarter, with Siloam Springs scoring 17 unanswered points to close the score to 28-24. Defensively, Siloam Springs keyed in on Winston, and kept Greenbrier from crossing the 50 for most of the quarter.
The pressure appeared to get to the Panthers, with Winston being called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after returning a kickoff following a 17-yard touchdown catch by SiloamSprings' Greg Frabotta.
Tribble yelled at Winston from the sideline, then watched as he broke for a 88-yard touchdown run on Greenbrier's first play from scrimmage.
"That was awesome," Tribble said. "That was a huge play. I was pretty steamed. I was thinking of taking him out."
Winston said he wasn't expecting such a heavy workload, but that Siloam Springs dictated the offensive strategy.
"I guess they kept trying to over pursue," Winston said. "And we kept sticking it down their throat."
Conference victories have been rare for Greenbrier, which has the longest playoff drought of any team in the 5A-West.
"Inside, I'm just jumping up and down, yelling, screaming and hollering," said Tribble, in his second year with Greenbrier after coaching at Harding University. "This old man's got chill bumps."
Sports, Pages 9 on 09/26/2009