LINDEN &8212; Linden High School&8217;s junior varsity team has yet to find its stride down the stretch early in the season. Tuesday the group dropped its second game of the season in a 26-19 loss to a scrappy Marengo High School junior varsity.

The Patriots opened the game against the Panthers like they were looking to avenge either 42-31 loss in the season opener against Akron High School. Against Marengo in the first quarter, the Patriots went on a scoring tear and established a comfortably 15-4 lead.

But the lead proved to be too comfortable and the Patriots fell asleep against a fast-paced Panther offense that has already sneaked wins on the road after starting slow. The Marengo group finished the half by cutting the 11-point lead to three heading into the locker room.

Coming out of the half the game slowed to a crawl all the way to the final buzzer. Defense became the name of the game and the two groups combined in the half for only nine points. The panthers, though, came out with the edge, using three and four point quarters to win as Linden found only one point a quarter in the final half.

Andrew Rogers led the scoring for the Linden group, claiming responsibility for 12 of the group&8217;s 19 points. Demetrius Craig claimed the scoring title for Marengo with 10 in the game.