Hilliard Darby scored two second-half touchdowns to beat Dublin Jerome 25-20 on the road Friday, Oct. 2, snapping a two-game losing streak.

The Panthers trailed 10-6 at halftime and were tied at 13 in the third quarter before trading the lead with Jerome in a back-and-forth fourth. The win improved Darby to 4-3 overall. Jerome dropped to 2-5.

Darby struck first with a 26-yard field goal set up by a run of more than 70 yards. Jerome answered with a 28-yard field goal to tie it at 3-3 after the first quarter, then took a 10-3 lead on a 28-yard touchdown pass in the second. Darby kicked a field goal as the half expired to cut the deficit to 10-6.

The Panthers grabbed a 13-10 lead on their opening drive of the second half, but Jerome knotted it at 13 with a 40-yard field goal. Darby then took a 19-13 lead on a 57-yard rushing touchdown with 3:50 left in the third.

Jerome punched back.

The Celtics scored a touchdown and converted the extra point to take a 20-19 lead at the 11:55 mark of the fourth quarter. Darby's missed extra point on the previous score had kept the margin at six.

Darby answered with a long drive capped by an 8-yard rushing touchdown with 5:07 remaining, according to Storied Rivals' game coverage on X. Jerome's defense stuffed the two-point conversion in the backfield, keeping the score 25-20.

The Panthers sealed it by stopping Jerome on fourth-and-6 and running out the clock.

Entering the game, Darby’s three losses had been decided by a combined 15 points. Head coach Brad Burchfield told ABC 6 before the game that his squad's defense was one of the top-scoring units in the state. "We have a lot of experience and a big, strong, physical group that plays as one, plays together," Burchfield said in the Oct. 2 preview.

The Panthers' rushing attack entered the night with Kohen Kornegay and Braylon Griffith each topping 600 yards on the season. Cedric Holman, a receiver and wingback who entered with 572 yards from scrimmage, also led the team in interceptions.

In the other area game Friday, Hilliard Bradley edged Hilliard Davidson 13-10 in overtime at Davidson.

Darby hosts Olentangy on Friday, Oct. 9, in an Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division matchup. The Braves enter at 3-4 after a 31-8 win over Marysville.