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Unbeaten Panthers fill middle school pipeline
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Panthers wide receiver Khiry Wallace leaps while catching a pass defended by Justice Mydell of South Effingham on Oct. 4 at Rebel Field. - photo by Mark Lastinger/staff

SPRINGFIELD -- Effingham County coach Buddy Holder doesn't have to look toward a distant horizon to see the future of his football program. It's right next door -- and it's unmistakably bright.

The Effingham County Middle School Panthers, led by coach Mark Smith, completed a perfect regular season Thursday afternoon by edging Burke County 40-36. It was the lone time they were challenged in their six games.

The Panthers' learning curve will be relatively short when they get to high school because Smith and his staff employ the same schemes as Holder.

Deftly directed by quarterback Kameron Edge, their sophisticated offense has been a smooth-operating machine all season

See the Oct. 18 edition of the Effingham Herald for more details.