Braylon Wilson was so open in the end zone, he could have read the local paper waiting for the ball from quarterback Cohen Roth to float into his waiting hands.
Wilson, a wide receiver, and Roth took advantage of a botched Vernon defensive coverage to connect for a 17-yard TD pass late in the first quarter of the season-opening AAA/AA Interior Junior Varsity Football League regular-season opener for both teams Wednesday, Sept. 21, at Greater Vernon Athletic Park.
The touchdown, plus a convert from left-footed kicker Jacob Sheaff, gave the Huskies a 7-6 lead.
It was about the only highlight on the afternoon for the visitors.
The Panthers outscored OKM 48-7 over the final three quarters, rolling to a convincing 54-14 win.
The Huskies were coming off a 22-0 loss to the Mt. Boucherie Bears of West Kelowna in their final pre-season contest.
Elsewhere Wednesday in conference play, the South Kamloops Titans joined the Panthers atop the standings at 1-0 with a 31-o win over the host Salmon Arm Golds.
In action Thursday, it will be a historic afternoon in Armstrong as the Pleasant Valley Secondary Saints play their first-ever regular-season game at home against the Westsyde Blue Wave of Kamloops at 4 p.m. at the PVSS field.
And in Vernon, the Rutland Voodoos face the Clarence Fulton Maroons in exhibition play at Grahame Park (4 p.m. kickoff).
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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