Parkview coach Eric Godfree said he believes his running back duo of Cody Brown and Tyler Curtis is the best tandem in the state. After their performance in the season opener, it’s going to be difficult for anyone to prove him wrong.
The duo was effective behind Parkview’s talented offensive line and combined for 379 yards rushing in a 33-16 win over Mountain View at the Big Orange Jungle in Lilburn.
Brown, a Tennessee commit, rushed 18 times for 237 yards and two touchdowns on runs of 22 and 1 yard. He had a 67-yard gain, a 41-yard gain and seven double-digit runs. Curtis carried 13 times for 142 yards, including a 60-yarder, and scored three touchdowns.
“The offensive line was moving people. (Johnny Brown and Jackson Walls) were getting after people. That was fun to see,” Godfree said. “The whole offensive line did a real good job. And Cody and Tyler are, in my opinion, the two best backs in the state. They’ve showed that week-in and week-out. They’re tough, physical runners.”
The No. 3-ranked Panthers had their hands full in the first half against a Mountain View team that had already played a game. Parkview had its opener against Mill Creek cancelled because of COVID-19 and was playing for the first time.
“We got to play,” Godfree said. “There was so much emotion from it being the first game that sometime we let that emotion get the better of us.”
Parkview scored on its first possession when Brown scored on a 22-yard run, but Mountain View immediately answered when Mossiah Carter returned the kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. Mountain’s View’s extra point failed, leaving Parkview with a 7-6 lead.
The Lions (1-1) took the lead after Darren Baggett intercepted Colin Houck’s pass returned it to the Parkview 38. Mountain View couldn’t move the ball and settled for Carson Van Horn’s 30-yard field goal.
Then it was Parkview’s turn to respond. The Panthers got a 67-yard run from Brown and Curtis banged it in from the 5 on the next play. The extra point put Parkview ahead 14-9.
Mountain View drove 74 yards to regain the lead. Quarterback Nathan Payne connected with Carter for a 74-yard gain. Payne then kept it himself to score on a 10-yard touchdown run and put the Lions ahead 16-14. Parkview took the 20-16 lead before the half when Curtis broke through the pile and ran for a 60-yard touchdown.
Parkview expanded its lead by taking its first possession of the second for a touchdown, with Brown scoring from the 1. The extra point was blocked, but the Panthers had a 26-16 lead. They padded it in the when Curtis scored from the 5.
Houck completed 7 of 18 passes with one interception for 46 yards in his first start. Jared Brown caught five passes for 42 yards.
“That’s the stuff that takes a long time,” Godfree said. “That’s what we missed all summer, passing league, 7 on 7s. Got a young sophomore with a good arm and got to start connecting.”
Mountain View quarterback Payne completed 9 of 26 passes for 184 yards. Carter caught three passes for 139 yards, including a 74-yarder that set up a score.
The Parkview defense was particularly stout against the run. The Panthers allowed only one yard of 10 yards or more and sacked Payne five times. Counting the sack yardage, Mountain View was held to 6 yards rushing.
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