Panther Creek players dump the cooler on Coach Wayne Bragg following Panther Creek High School's 7-3 victory over Cary High School on Friday, Nov. 6. (photo by Will Okun)
Nov 8, 2009
Panther Creek needed a win over Cary last week to get into the playoffs. They got the win, but they may have gotten to the tougher draw between themselves and the Imps.
“I think we helped Cary out because we get to play Jack Britt, and they get to go down and play Hoggard who Jack Britt beat the heck out of," Wayne Bragg joked after seeing the brackets Saturday evening.
"If you're going to be in the playoffs, you're going to have to play good teams, and we're starting off with a really good one."
Jack Britt has been beating opponents by decisive margins this season. The Buccaneers are scoring 43 points per game, and they're allowing just 14 points per game.
Prior to the game against Terry Sanford, the only loss Britt suffered in the regular season, Eric Johnson had rushed for over 1,110 yards and 22 touchdowns. Quarterback Greg Bryant had also thrown for nearly 1,400 yards and ten interceptions.
“I know they’re beating people pretty good," Bragg said.
Before the Catamounts beat Cary last week, Panther Creek found itself on a three-game slide. Bragg said if Panther Creek is going to have a shot at beating Jack Britt, it cannot make the same mistakes seen in recent weeks.
“Taking care of the football is what has really hurt us in this little streak we’ve had," said Bragg. "What I’ve preached this week really hard is the accountability deal. When everybody does what their supposed to do, we’re pretty good.”
Another issue Panther Creek has had is the line, particularly the offensive line. Bragg pointed out that they knew going into the season that they were thin up front.
"We had a number of injuries, the flu, and now all of a sudden we're starting ninth and tenth graders on the line," Bragg said.
Not many people will be picking Panther Creek to beat Jack Britt, but Bragg said he thinks they can pull the upset.
"You never know what's going to happen. That's why they play the game," he said. "It's so funny with kids nowadays, they're so emotionally up-and-down. It's like a rollercoaster ride."
Regardless of the outcome on Friday, making the playoffs was a big step in the right direction for the Panther Creek program. This will mark the first ever playoff game for the Catamounts in the school's short history.
"I think that's huge," said Bragg. "I'm so proud of these kids. We've had so much adversity this year, and they've just kept on fighting."
This story is closed for comments.
