MARYVILLE, Tenn. - LaGrange used its defense to pull out a hard-fought 17-13 win over Maryville on Saturday at Honaker Field. The win kept the Panthers (3-4, 3-1 USA South) in a three-way tie with Christopher Newport and Ferrum for the USA South lead.

"I'm very proud of our guys. This was a hard-fought road win." Head Coach Todd Mooney said. "Our guys did a heck of a job fighting through some adversity to come out on top. Our defense came up big many times today and put us in good spots."

The Panther defense held Maryville (3-4, 2-2 USA South) to 117 yards of total offense in the game. The Scots' only points came off a botched snap on a punt and after the Panthers turned the ball over on a fumble at the start of the third quarter.

Junior linebacker Andre Carter terrorized the Scots' offense. Carter finished with nine tackles; including four for losses and three quarterback sacks. He recorded a school-record two safeties in the second half of the game and recovered a fumble leading to the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Panthers rolled up 354 yards of total offense but turned the ball over five times in the game on three interceptions and two fumbles. Three of the turnovers ended drives inside the Maryville 30.

Senior Kent Gibson had his third straight 100-yard rushing game. Gibson ran the ball a career-high and school recored 33 times for a game-high 112 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Ed Russ added 89 yards as the Panthers finished with 269 yards on the ground.

Will Jeffcoat opened the scoring for the Panthers by breaking his own school-record for longest field goal for the second straight week. Jeffcoat's 47-yard kick put the Panthers up 3-0 with 9:58 left in the first quarter.

The Scots took a 7-3 lead when Mario Perone fell on the ball in the end zone after a bad snap on a punt attempt by the Panthers. Jeffcoat got the Panthers within one, 7-6, with a 31-yard field goal five seconds before halftime.

The Panthers turned the ball over on their first play of the third quarter when Russ' fumble was recovered at the Panthers' 37 by Gabe Johnson. On the next play, Travis Felder went the distance to put the Scots up 13-6 after the extra point was missed. It was the Scots' longest play from scrimmage in the game.

Midway through the quarter, Nahrwold backed the Scots up at their own 5 with a 35-yard punt. Three plays later, Carter sacked quarterback Evan Pittenger in the end zone for a safety to get the Panthers within five, 13-8.

The defense came up with another big play on Maryville' next possession. Daniel Garrett forced Ed Sisson to fumble with Carter recovering for the Panthers at the Scots' 34-yard line.

The Panthers needed eight plays but were able to cash in the turnover. Gibson scored from 5 yards out and Jeffcoat's extra point put the Panthers up 15-13 with 13 minutes left.

The special teams set up the Panthers at the Scots' 25-yard line after Michael Jones recovered Terrell Warren's fumble on the ensuing kickoff. The Panthers gave the ball right back to the Scots after Michael May was intercepted by Gabe Johnson.

After the defense forced a three and out by the Scots, the Panthers put together their longest drive of the game. Starting at their own 33, the Panthers held the ball for over eight minutes.

The Panthers converted on a fourth down play to keep the drive going at the Scots' 11. The Scots made a goal line stand, though, stopping Gibson on fourth down from the 1 with 2:11 to play.

Carter ended any chance at the Scots making a come back. He broke through to sack Pittenger in the end zone for his second safety on a fourth-and-1 from the 9 to make it 17-13.

The Scots got the ball back one more time with 10 seconds left. Carter put the exclamation point on his performance by sacking Pittenger on the final play of the game.

The Panthers host Methodist for Senior Day next Saturday in their final home game of the season.