Game in and game out during the 2024 season, the Derby Panthers dominated their opponents.
For junior Peyton Goble, the domination started in the trenches as the offensive linemen made it his job to set the tone every game.
He helped lead an offense that averaged 152 passing yards and 235 rushing yards a game. The Panthers averaged 51 points a game.
Goble, the son of the Panthers’ defensive line coach, Derek Goble, is a left guard who has been playing football since he was in first grade. But over the last year he has faced a lot of adversity with some untimely injuries.
“This year I dislocated my right knee, which knocked me out for five weeks,” Goble said. “Then on Week 1 in practice, I broke my wrist and that kept me out five weeks. Then I just dislocated my left knee (in the semifinal) that will probably keep me out for about five weeks.”
A lot of athletes would feel sorry for themselves, but for Goble, that never crossed his mind.
“I just kept the right mindset and that was easy to do with the coaches and teammates I had around me,” Goble said. “It doesn’t always feel the best playing through my injuries, but when I know that I’m playing for my brothers, it gives me more motivation to play for the guy next to me rather than just playing for myself.”
The junior was able to find the positive and from there, when he did play, he was able to play his best because of the love he had for his teammates.
“My favorite memory of the season was hanging out with the offensive line at Drew (Kemp)m our quarterback’s, house every Sunday when he would feed us,” Goble said. “It was great just to bond with everyone there and we had a great time.”
After falling to Manhattan 31-21 in the 6A semifinals, the Panthers ended 11-1 and already have their sights set on getting back to the state championship game where they were in 2023.
The junior isn’t sure about his plans in football after high school, but he does want to go to Butler Community College and study fire science to become a firefighter.
