BARTLETT – After two weeks without a game, the Burton Panthers (6-0, 3-0 district) strived to go back to basics against Bartlett (3-4, 2-2 district).
Burton’s basics included complementary football with stout defense and explosive running plays in a 28-0 win over Bartlett.
The Panthers achieved their first shutout of the season on Friday, giving Burton its sixth straight season with at least one shutout.
Burton coach Jason Hodde said Friday’s shutout was the goal entering a game where Bartlett unveiled its new stadium and held its homecoming ceremonies.
“Defense is all about effort and determination and we worked really hard on defense this week for those guys to come out here and shut them guys out,” he said.
Burton had to make several defensive stands to achieve its shutout. Its first stand came on Bartlett’s opening drive of the game. The Bulldogs took the ball down to Burton’s 11-yard line on its opening series, but lost 29 yards on its last series of downs through two sacks and an intentional grounding penalty to give the Panthers the ball on their own 40-yard line.
Junior quarterback Kayden Patterson wasted no time in turning defensive momentum into Panther points. He ran to his right and found running room for a 60-yard touchdown on Burton’s first offensive play of the game.
Hodde believed his team could settle into the game after Patterson’s touchdown. Burton’s defense got back into rhythm by forcing a Bartlett punt after three plays.
Patterson then scored his second rushing touchdown on a 13-yard run to his right. Burton took on a more methodical drive on a seven-play series, headlined by a 47-yard pass from Patterson to senior wide receiver Eli Simank downfield.
Burton’s defense continued its positive play the rest of the half despite allowing Bartlett to get into Panther territory two more times. The Panthers forced turnovers on both possessions to end Bartlett scoring threats.
The first turnover came on a strip sack from linebacker Rueben Rodriguez. Junior lineman Houston Hodde pounced on the ball for the fumble recovery.
One possession later, Bartlett put together its biggest chance by getting to Burton’s 12-yard line. The Panthers forced pressure on fourth down, though, to force Bartlett quarterback Ryder Castro outside of the pocket and into a desperate throwing situation.
Junior linebacker Lawrence Allen tipped the ball and came down with the interception to end Bartlett’s final scoring threat of the first half.
Houston Hodde (left) and Lawrence Allen team up to make a tackle for Burton in its district win over Bartlett on Friday night.
Nicholas Hodell/Banner-Press photo
“We worked a lot on pass block and everything,” Allen said. “We knew that (Castro) was a good thrower, so we knew we had to get back there.”
Burton’s focus on pass blocking and rushing did not come in complicated packages. Hodde said his team’s effort shined in base packages. That effort extended to the Panther secondary, which highly contested every ball thrown its way.
Patterson earned his third rushing score from one yard out on Burton’s first drive of the second half. He was set up by running Maleek Bibby, who nearly took the first play of the half to the end zone on a 46-yard run to Bartlett’s 1-yard line.
Patterson’s three rushing touchdowns complemented a 115-yard rushing performance. He credited his offensive line for giving him room to run throughout the night despite several negative plays mixed in.
Burton held Bartlett to two punts and a turnover on downs in Panther territory in the second half. The Panthers got one more touchdown in between as Rodriguez found running room over the middle for a 36-yard touchdown run.
Burton had a chance for another score on a methodical 11-play drive spanning 62 yards to inside Bartlett’s 1-yard line. After going for a touchdown once and coming short, though, the Panthers took two knees and took their victory without any further scoring.
“We went basic football,” Hodde said. “We got in our classic T formation that everybody likes watching us get into and we just took it down the field.”
Any worries about the Panthers getting out of game shape after two weeks off were stifled on Friday. Allen credited his coaches for quality practices that kept Burton in shape.
“I would not say I was not tired because they did put up a good fight, but I was not as gassed as I usually would be,” he said. “I feel like I am in shape from the practice that Coach (Hodde) already gave us.”
Decision making evaded the Panther offense at times. Miscommunication, players trying to do too much on a play and multiple holding penalties set the Panthers back from a bigger offensive output.
But Hodde said even if his offense shows occasional struggles , carrying good defensive performances week to week will put Burton in position to play championship football.
“The offense comes and goes, but if you can hold teams to low point totals, you are going to be in the game no matter who you play,” he said. “That is something we are going to hang our hat on. It is something that we are really focused on and hopefully we are getting better.”
Burton will take to the road again next week, but will have a much shorter trip to rival Somerville for a 7 p.m. Friday matchup.