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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

HOOVER – After ending up on the wrong end of a penalty shootout to begin area play, the Pelham Panthers didn’t let history repeat itself when it faced a tough road test at the Spain Park Jaguars.

In the end, Pelham secured the victory after taking the shootout 4-2 following a 1-1 draw after overtime on Friday, March 14 at Spain Park High School.

The Panthers had to battle from behind though as they trailed 1-0 at the halftime break.

The teams remained deadlocked after the first 30 minutes of the match as each side looked for a breakthrough goal. That came in the 33rd minute, but it didn’t come from an offensive player.

Spain Park sent a cross straight across the goal frame before a Pelham player put the ball into the back of the net for an own goal, putting the Jags up 1-0 in the process.

After going into the break trailing by a goal, the Panthers nearly equalized in the 52nd minute off of a free kick, but it was ruled offside.

They continued to try and equalize throughout the remainder of the game, and with just two minutes left, they finally broke through. Anzel Santos came up with the equalizer in the 78th minute to tie up the game, and Pelham kept Spain Park out of the back of the net to send the game into overtime.

That 1-1 score line held through both periods of overtime, leading to a pressure-filled repeat of the previous Friday night’s shootout against Briarwood.

Jair Camargo converted the Panthers’ first penalty kick before the Jags equalized. Luis Bravo then extended the lead to 2-1, but this time, Spain Park couldn’t answer. Jeffery Palacios came up with a full-extension save to deny the Jags and preserve the lead.

That proved to be crucial as both teams made their next penalty kicks with Santos’ goal leaving Pelham up 3-2.

The Panthers extended that lead to two shortly after as Palacios provided his own offensive support by converting a penalty for the 4-2 lead. The goal put the Jags in must-score territory to extend the shootout, and their ensuing shot went above the goal to seal Pelham’s 2-1 win.

The Panthers improved to 9-2-2 with the win and 1-1 in area play while Spain Park fell to 4-7-2 and 0-1 in Class 6A, Area 8.

Pelham will hit the road to face Bessemer City on Monday, March 17 at 7 p.m. while the Jags will face area foe Briarwood on Tuesday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m. on the road at Lions Pride Stadium.