Friday Night Lights returned to George L. King Field on September 13 during week four of the regular season for Haven’s home opener. The Panthers dominated the Radnor Raptors (3-1) with a final score of 35-0.
Senior James Fisher set the tone early, intercepting a pass with 7:53 left in the first quarter. After the turnover, he received a 41-yard pass thrown by senior quarterback Caden Shuster for a touchdown. With freshman Matt Styer’s extra point, the Panthers were up 7-0.
Haven’s defense did not disappoint that night. When a fumble led to a turnover to the Raptors, the Panthers managed to stop their drive at the beginning of the second quarter.
The night took a grim turn when sophomore Jake Plunkett suffered a tibia injury during the second quarter. He was safely taken off the field and escorted by emergency services.
“It’s definitely hard to watch,” Shuster said. “It was a pretty bad injury, we obviously want to keep him in our prayers.”
Fisher and Shuster’s teamwork was again showcased late in the half, with a 25-yard completed pass into the endzone.
Sophomore Jalen Starr started the second half by recovering the kickoff meant for the Raptors. With the ball already deep in Radnor territory, a 15-yard personal foul against the Raptors placed Haven on the 1-yard line, where senior Shane Green finished the job, ending the drive with a touchdown.
Senior Aleksei Gustafson, who had his helmet intentionally ripped off by an opposing player during the play, was not confounded by the interaction.
“I knew how to react, I didn’t get mad,” Gustafson said. “I love when they [Radnor] do something [that] really pays off for us and hurts them in the end.”
The Panthers continued their domination with another touchdown from Shuster and a two-point conversion by Fisher, extending their lead to 35-0.
Next week, Haven will host the Garnet Valley Jaguars (4-0) on Friday, September 20.
