By Mark Schafer | The News-Review
 DANVILLE – For a little bit it seemed like everything was gone.
Late in the third quarter of an Oct. 10 game Danville had scored a third quarter touchdown to take a 10-point advantage. For the first time all season, Pekin was facing an uphill battle.
That’s when they answered the call and instead of rolling over the Panthers dug deep within themselves and fought back.
“We exemplify a never give up mentality,” Pekin Head Football Coach, Klynt Weber said after an Oct. 10 game against Danville. “I’ll be honest, in tonight’s game we were beat three times. We weren’t going to let them beat us a fourth time, and when that fourth time came, players made plays, and that mantra really rang true tonight. The guys that needed to make plays, all of them made a play at some point or another. They are playmakers and all a reason why we won tonight.”
The final 13 minutes of the game weren’t easy, but they belonged to the Panthers, as Pekin rallied to an eventual 32-27 victory.
Although the Panthers had been struggling with the passing game in the second half they never abandoned it. It was a good thing they didn’t either as the Panthers used a bit of trickery to move the ball. A lateral from quarterback Riley Smith to receiver Henry Adam opened up the passing lane and Adam was able to fire the ball down field to a wide open Alijah Brock who scored, bringing the Panthers within three points.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Panthers seemed to be in trouble when Smith was intercepted again. However, the Danville player, who made the interception, slipped coming out of the endzone and downed the ball at the three yard line. A few plays later Adam broke through the Danville offensive line and recorded a tackle in the endzone for a safety.
The next time Danville had the ball, they attempted a pass, but Nolan Glick was able to intercept the pass and return it for a touchdown which gave the Panthers the lead, which they would never give up.
“Once I caught the all I was just thinking I need to get to the endzone,” Glick said. “I took off and I was untouched all the way to the endzone. Being able to cross the goal line to take the lead, that was the best feeling in the world. I wouldn’t trade that feeling for anything else.”
The Oct. 10 victory gave Pekin their first district championship under coach Weber, and assured them two home playoff games.
