Panthers Learn From Playing Against Top Delta League Foes
August 26, 2025

Tuesday, August 26th Pleasant Grove arrived to take on the Lady Panthers of the Gridiron. The Eagles, the #8 team in the section came in with a 3-1 record and the first Delta League Championship Belt around their waist. 

Pleasant Grove left with a 29-8 decisive victory. 

The Panthers showed promise on the defensive side of the ball. The offense and special teams however were a hot mess. 

Except for a couple of breakdowns, the Panthers defense played outstanding. 

Captains: Paris Jones, Zavanna Payne, Janiya Brister, Jayda Lewis

The first snap of the game, PG QB Kate Myers did her best Shakira impersonation and hip wiggled and flag guarded her way to the endzone on a 50 yard run. The Panthers acted like they never saw a flag before. 

“After that play we settled down and started playing football. You can’t pull the plug from the video game, you can’t do that in life. We have to start fast and we didn’t”, Coach Mike Harris exclaimed. 

Freshman Kristin Juniel learned as the game went on and put pressure on the All Metro Quarterback most of the evening, recording 2 sacks and a pass deflection. 

Other standout players on defense were Zavanna Payne who recorded 8 pulls, Jazira Arteaga Khandilyan with 4 solo pulls, Paris Jones with 3 flag pulls.  Janiya Brister had two flag pulls and two outstanding touchdown saving pass deflections. Rhian Fitzgerald, Kamaeh Davis both had one flag pull each. 

Jazira Arteaga Khandilyan has been solid on defense all year

Offensively the Panthers could not score until the 4th quarter, when QB Jayda Lewis found Zavanna Payne in the back of the end zone for a 10 yard touchdown. Moments later, Lewis found Paris Jones for the two point conversion on a corner route and the Panthers experienced a small moral victory. 

Florin had their chances. 

After a 40 yard deep ball from Lewis to Payne in the first quarter, Brister grabbed the option pitch from Lewis and slithered to the 2 yard line. The Panther sideline was convinced Brister was in. The sideline judge called the Junior playmaker short of the end zone. 

The Panthers couldn’t execute and after a penalty found themselves moving backwards. 

Coach Mike Harris calls a Timeout to make an Adjustment

Coach Mike Harris said to EliteBlueChip “That was a pivotal moment in the game. We score there, we are only down 13-6 and we believe we can play with them. Our girls never rebounded emotionally from the disappointment of not scoring. Jayda gave Rhian a shot to go up high point, Rhian thought she should have got the PI call, but the same official who was tying their shoes wasn’t going to give us a break.”

True Story. The side judge (referee) on the Pleasant Grove side literally tied the shoe of a Pleasant Grove Eagle for what seemed like an eternity. 

Coach Mike Harris said, “I have never seen that in 30 years of coaching.”

Harris joked to the sidejudge exclaiming, “My shoe is untied… Can I get a shoe tied?, pointing to his shoe. 

The Panthers had another opportunity to intercept a ball, but instead mistimed the jump. The ball landed in the hands of Eagle receiver Makayla Teel who ran 50 yards for a TD. 

Zavanna Payne with the one handed TDgrab in the end zone

Coach Mike Harris said, “The game was much closer than the score. We competed with them on most snaps. Unfortunately, we made too many mistakes on offense to sustain drives and when he had to punt, we literally punted one to ourself for a net distance of zero yards.”

Senior Punter Kat Doonan has been on the Injured Reserved list with a Quad injury hampering the Panthers immensely regarding the field position battle. 

“I can’t believe Kat is the only one on the team who has any experience punting. We are in trouble there.” Harris said.

Unable to get a punt off would haunt the Panthers again in the next contest at Cosumnes Oaks High School the following Thursday. 

Panthers miss the foot of Kat Doonan immensely, Doonan on IR with a right Quad Pull.

Next, Lady Florin Panthers of the Gridiron take on the mighty River City Raiders in the Jungle on Tuesday.