With a starting lineup of savvy veterans and new additions, the Whitney Wildcats picked right up where they left off last season.
In 2023, the team shattered the record books and trucked to the third round of the playoffs and an 11-2 overall record. Last Friday, the Wildcats returned to the field and shocked the storied Mart Panthers 42-8.
Mart appeared to be a tough assignment thanks to eight 2A state championships in school history, a constant home in the playoff bracket and a tradition of star athletes. But the legacy didn’t phase the Wildcats.
Whitney started the match with a gritty defense stand as the teams shook off the first-game jitters. Under the leadership of Coach David Haynes Jr., the Wildcats set the tone with the ground game.
Junior Jontae Johnson went to work and barreled to back-to-back rushing scores that put Whitney up 14-0 early in the second quarter. Johnson stole the show with a total of 24 carries for 256 yards and four receptions for 58 yards.
The defense piled on the Panthers, and the offensive explosion continued.
Returning quarterback Mason Seely showed why he is one of the region’s top seniors as he guided the Wildcats to two more scores. Seely collected a rushing score before connecting with Kobe Haynes for a 19-yard touchdown.
Up 28-0, the Mart bleachers and sidelines were silenced.
The Panthers mustered a score before the break, but the Wildcats stepped on the gas in the second half. The third quarter repeated the scoring pattern as Seely busted through the line for a short score. He then targeted Haynes once again with a 25-yard strike.
Whitney’s dominating defense closed out the game with an effort that sent a message to future opponents. The Wildcats held the Panthers to just more than 100 total yards, while snatching up a fumble and an interception. Whitney targeted the backfield and also forced a string of additional fumbles that Mart was lucky to grab.
Whitney returns to action Friday night and will give the hometown a glimpse of this season’s potential. Benbrook, who defeated FW Castleberry 42-35, will travel to Wildcat Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
Player of the Game
This week’s “player of the game” is the entire Wildcat defense. The squad silenced the Mart Panthers who have a long history of lighting up the scoreboard. The defense surrendered just more than 100 total yards, forced two turnovers and camped out in the Mart backfield throughout the night.
The Lakelander 