Under the Panthers' current offensive system, Permian has almost always had plenty of balance, a power running game mixed in with a passing game that can both control the clock and hit the big play.

At least as long as the skies stay clear.

Playing under a sky that rained steadily throughout the game, Black held on to beat White 14-7 on Friday night at Ratliff Stadium in Permian's annual spring game.

Forced to contend with heavy rains that made the ball slick and almost impossible to throw, both sides focused on pounding their teammates with the run.

"We've had a big improvement on the offensive line from the beginning of spring to this point," Black quarterback Landry Serrano said. "It was raining, so it took away a lot of the passing game."

Playing quarterback for the White team, Steven Pipes only completed 2-of-12 passes for 5 yards and an interception.

Serrano and Austin Reynolds - 2-of-6, 24 yards - had the same problems trying to lead the Black side of the ball.

"We weren't real effective in the throwing game, but there was a reason for it," Permian head football coach Gary Gaines said.

Serrano didn't waste any time trying to put the ball into the air on the game's first drive.

Taking over at his own 20-yard line to open the game, Serrano broke off carries of 13, 26 and 14 yards on a series of quarterback keepers and zone-reads to lead Black to a 9-play, 80-yard drive.

Felix Neboh capped off the drive by taking a reverse and scoring from 11 yards out to put Black in front early, 7-0.

Serrano finished with 71 yards on 17 carries.

Placed in a hole early, White tried to get something going in the first half, but Pipes and the rest of the team were facing a Black defense that kept swarming to the ball like a pack of lions chasing down an antelope.

Led by middle linebacker Lambert Riley, the Black defense forced a fumble that Colby Pyron recovered, a failed fourth down and an interception by Richard Murry that gave Black a 7-0 lead heading into halftime.

"We're a little small," Murry said. "We have to play fast, play hard and try to be physical."

White finally caught a break midway through the third quarter.

Facing a fourth down in its own territory, the snap to Black punter Pete Flores flew by him, allowing White to take over on the Black 25.

Three plays later Eli Torres took an option pitch into the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown that tied the score.

"We wanted to win this game," Serrano said. "We did not want to go home with a loss, even though we were playing each other."

Serrano got his chance to take back the lead early in the fourth quarter.

After a series of punishing runs by Serrano and running back Jamar Miles pushed Black across midfield, Miles broke loose for a 31-yard run to the White 3-yard line.

Miles fumbled at the end of the play, but a Black player fell on the ball - one of nine Black fumbles the team recovered.

Miles, who picked up 70 yards on 15 carries, finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run on Black's next play.

White had two more chances to tie the score.

But with the passing game led by Pipes shut down, White wasn't able to punch it in. Riley recovered a White fumble in Black territory to end the White team's best chance to score in the fourth quarter.

"We had the weather holding us down," said White running back DeAnthony Fay, who picked up 66 yards on 13 carries. "It was hard to hold on to the ball. I had to take off my gloves."

Spring practice is over.

Only three months until Permian can play somebody else.

>> Black 14, White 7

White                                   0    0    7  0 -  7

Black                                    7    0    0  7 - 14

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

Black - Felix Neboh 11 run (Taylor Martin kick), 6:33.

Third Quarter

White - Eli Torres 10 run (Barrett Brown kick), 6:21.

Fourth Quarter

Black - Jamar Miles 3 run (Martin kick), 8:50.

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TEAM STATISTICS

                                           White          Black

First downs                               12              11

Total yards                             165            175

Rushes-yards                  33-160       39-151

Passing                                      5              24

Comp-Att-Int                     2-12-1         2-6-0

Sacked-Yards Lost                 0-0           1-10

Punt returns                            0-0           1-10

Kickoff returns                       2-68           2-40

Punts-Avg.                         2-40.0        3-35.3

Fumbles-Lost                         2-2             9-0

Penalties-Yards                    3-30           3-25

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

White

DeAnthony Fay 13-66, Eli Torres 10-35, Steven Pipes 7-44, Tommey Morris 1-15.

Black

Landry Serrano 17-71, Jamar Miles 15-70, Felix Neboh 2-22, Austin Reynolds 4-(-2).

PASSING

White

Steven Pipes 2-12-1-5.

Black

Landry Serrano 2-4-0-24, Austin Reynolds 0-2-0-0.

RECEIVING

White

Talon Smith 1-3, Tommey Morris 1-2.

Black

Josh Tarin 1-14, Felix Neboh 1-10.

INTERCEPTIONS

White

None.

Black

Richard Murry 1-0.