Junior running back Demetrius Hart rushed for a school-record 248 yards and accounted for 374 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns to lead Dr. Phillips Football to a 47-9 thrashing of host Boone.  The Panthers, ranked second in Class 6A before the game, racked up 462 yards of total offense and limited the Boone Braves to just 113 yards and four first downs.

DP (5-0) scored 24 points in the first quarter alone and it all started with the defense.  Junior safety LaQuentin Smith recovered a fumble at the Boone 28 on the second play of their opening possession and three plays later, Dee Hart sliced through the defense for a 23-yard touchdown run to put the Panthers up 7-0.  After the defense held Boone to a three and out, DP took over at their own 46.  Facing 4th and two, junior Patrick Fenlon faked the punt and connected with junior Roderick Ryles for a 19-yard first down.  After Nick Patti converted a fourth down sneak to keep the drive alive, Hart found paydirt again with a 21-yard touchdown run to increase the lead to 14-0 with 6:06 remaining in the quarter.

The defense continued to make a statement on Boone's ensuing possession.  After a long completion gave the Braves a first down at their own 42, Hasean Clinton-Dix came around the right side on third down and blasted quarterback Sam Hutsell, who fumbled for a loss of 21 yards.  Boone was forced to punt and Dee Hart made them pay yet again.  Fielding the punt off a bounce at his own 36, Hart cut right and slid back through the middle of the field and down the left sideline for a 64-yard touchdown, his third of the game, to give DP a 21-0 lead.  LaQuentin Smith pounced on another Boone fumble on their next offensive play and junior kicker Shawn Moffitt capitalized on it with a 34-yard field goal to give DP a shocking 24-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Boone would get on the board in the second quarter with a safety and later a touchdown at the 5:47 mark to close the deficit to 24-9 but that was as close as they'd come.  The Panthers responded immediately as Dee Hart's 55-yard touchdown run capped a nine-play, 80-yard drive for a 31-9 lead.  With 1:01 left in the first half, DP was back in business at their own 35 and looking for more.  Quarterback Robbie Matey  (7-13 for 109 yards) hooked up with Kenny Shaw over the middle for a 32-yard gain down to the Boone 33 and Dee Hart took a screen pass 20 yards down to the 13.  Moffitt booted through his second field goal of the night, from 27 yards out, and the Panthers went into the break with a 34-9 lead.

Third quarter action was more of the same from the blue.  After Hart returned the kickoff 42 yards, he followed up with a 28-yard run down to the Boone 10.  Robbie Matey took the quarterback keeper down to the one and punched it in on the next play for a 41-9 lead.  The Panthers closed out the barrage in the fourth quarter when Hart scored his fifth touchdown, a 56 yard run, for the 47-9 final.  Hart finished with 248 yards rushing, 106 return yards and 20 yards receiving for a school-record 374 all-purpose yards.  Kenny Shaw caught three passes for 43 yards, Antwan Stepherson caught two for 24 yards and Greg Slones caught one for 22.  Senior running back Matt Williams finshed with 37 yards of total offense while kicker Shawn Moffitt was 2-2 on field goals, 5-6 on extra points and boomed nine touchbacks.

The Panthers amassed 462 yards of total offense and were a perfect 3-3 on fourth down conversions.  The defense was equally outstanding as they held Boone to 1-9 on third down conversions, recovered two fumbles and recorded a pair of sacks by Hasean Clinton-Dix and Chris Harden.  DP will host Evans Friday night at 7:30.

Highlights from WFTV Channel 9

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