ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Greenville football team came out strong and finished even stronger on Saturday afternoon, earning a gritty 23–20 road win over Northwestern (Minn.). Behind explosive plays from running back
Terrel Graves and a clutch last-minute field goal by
Pedro Paixao, the Panthers secured their third straight victory and improved to 3-1 on the season.
How it Happened:
Greenville came out of the gates strong, taking control early in the first quarter. Running back
Cayden Boardway opened the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown run to cap a 60-yard drive, putting the Panthers up 6–0.
Later in the quarter, Greenville extended the lead with a methodical 11-play, 93-yard drive.
Terrel Graves finished it off with a 2-yard touchdown run, and
Pedro Paixao added the extra point to make it 13–0.
After halftime, the Panthers struck quickly again. Graves broke free for a highlight-reel 71-yard touchdown run just two plays into the drive, giving Greenville a commanding 20–0 lead midway through the third quarter.
Though Northwestern managed to claw back into the game with three unanswered touchdowns to tie it at 20–20, Greenville refused to fold under pressure.
With just under four minutes to play, the Panthers put together a focused and composed 80-yard drive. Mixing runs and short gains, Greenville worked the clock down to under a minute before calling on Paixao, who calmly drilled a 23-yard field goal with 27 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
Defensive Highlights:
Greenville's defense set the tone early and made key stops late to protect the lead.
Samuel Benavidez led with 8 tackles (5 solo), including a tackle for loss.
Carlis Wilson Jr. added 7 tackles and 3 pass breakups, while
Elias Velasquez contributed 6 tackles.
Up front,
Will Giffen recorded 5 tackles, a sack, and a tackle for loss. A pivotal play came late in the fourth quarter on 3rd-and-10 at the Greenville 29, when
Jashaun McKinley sacked the quarterback for a 1-yard loss. The Panthers' defense played a complete game, helping secure the win.
Up Next:
The Panthers (3–1, 2-0 UMAC) on the road again next Saturday to face Martin Luther in New Ulm, Minn. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. as Greenville looks to build on its strong mid-season momentum.
