MUNFORD — New coach, same old Clay County.

The sixth-ranked Panthers — in their first game under the direction of new head coach Kris Herron — used that old, familiar formula — a dominant run game combined with punishing defense — for victory Friday night in Munford. And the result was equally familiar: the Panthers left Holcombe Field with a 41-20 victory.

“We talked a lot to the guys about change,” Herron said after the game. “But we also told them, we want a lot of things to stay the same: we still want the same effort, the same intangible things, like we’ve always had.”

Herron — who took over for legendary head coach Danny Horn this offseason when the latter departed for Benjamin Russell — has at least one asset to bolster that effort to keep things the same: running back Jerdarious Williams. The senior rushed for 197 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries in the victory.

“With JD, JD’s a potential big play anytime he touches the ball,” said Herron. “Our offensive line was one of our strengths coming in, and they did a great job.”

Williams’ three first-half touchdowns put the game firmly in control of the Panthers. Two of them came on long runs — the senior scored from 39 and 65 yards away.

“They pretty much controlled everything,” Munford head coach Todd Smith said afterward. “Offense, defense, everything. There’s not much more you can say.”

Clay County also capitalized on a pair of early Lion mistakes. The first came on the opening kickoff: Munford senior Marcellus Curry fumbled during his return, and Clay County took over at the Lion 26, and scored in four plays on a 5-yard Williams run.

“That (start) was very big,” Herron said. “Anytime you come over to Munford, it’s not gonna be easy. They’ve got a great tradition over here.”

After Williams’ second touchdown made the score 13-0, Munford responded. The Lions drove the football 70 yards in 12 plays, ignited by Curry’s 34-yard run on a fake punt to the Panther 19. Curry scored on fourth-and-goal from the 1 to make it 13-6.

Curry finished with 94 yards and that touchdown on 13 carries.

“Our kids don’t quit,” Smith said. “They had opportunities to do it tonight. We tell them to keep playing hard for 48-plus minutes, and they did that.”

Williams wouldn’t let the Lions hang onto any momentum, however, scoring from 65 yards away and then running in the two-point conversion to make the score 21-6. After forcing a three-and-out, the visitors forced another big special-teams play — sophomore Charles Sims blocked the punt of Munford’s Shannon Landers, and Clay County took over on the Lion 18-yard line.

Senior Breeman Ackles finished off this drive with a three-yard run to make the score 28-6. Ackles finished with 52 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.

The Panthers picked up where they left off after halftime with their best drive of the game, marching 66 yards in 10 plays. Quarterback Zachary Jordan found Sims from 18 yards away for the score, the only pass completion of the night by either side. That made the count 35-6 in favor of the visitors.

Munford was led in rushing by senior Michael Long, who finished with 96 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Long scored from 58 yards away late in the third to make it 35-12.

With the score 41-12 following Ackles’ last TD, junior fullback Jesse Lackey closed out the scoring, gutting out an 18-yard TD. Senior Dominique Allen ran in the two-pointer to provide the final margin.

The two teams move into region action next week. The Panthers return home to face Randolph County, while Munford hosts Handley.