John Myers says his Russellville Panthers need to win another turnover battle Friday and do a better job defending the rush than they did three weeks
ago.
If the coach can convince his homestanding team that complete concentration is needed for a second win over a ballclub it has already beaten by 20
points, then RHS has a great chance of
advancing to the Class AAA finals for the second time in three seasons.
If, however, the Panthers take Butler County lightly, their playoff run could end almost as abruptly as it did a year ago. In fact, this week's matchup
apppears very similar to the roadblock which derailed a good Panther team in 2008.
Last year, Russellville had beaten visiting Edmonson County 40-23 during the regular season and entered the playoffs with a 9-2 record and the top seed
in the district. Yet the Wildcats
whipped the Panthers 35-13 on that same Ken Barrett Field. It was a difficult lesson to absorb, one that Myers hopes his team took to heart.
On Oct. 23 of this year, the Panthers beat the Butler Bears 34-14 at Morgantown to clinch their third straight district championship.
Myers will be the first to tell you, however, that the game could have gone the other way had loose balls bounced different directions.
"We led 21-0 at the half, but each touchdown came after a turnover by Butler County," Myers said this week on WRUS' Coaches Call-in Show. "They had
gotten into our territory each time before the turnover."
The first three times the Bears had the ball, they coughed it up on fumbles. The fourth time they had possession, they were trailing RHS 21-0 midway
through the second quarter.
Butler County was moving the ball consistently on the game's opening drive when Panther Davonta Bryant caused a fumble that teammate Dudley Bouldin
recovered on his own 31.
Five plays later, Russellville put the game's first points on the board on a 56-yard pass play from D.J. Quarles to Damien Elam with 5:51 remaining in
the first quarter.
The Bears were marching again when Bouldin caused another fumble. A 15-yard run by Elam led to Quarles' second touchdown pass, this one for 10 yards to
Bryan Harris. Kevin Temple caught Quarles' 2-point pass to make it 14-0 with 15 seconds left in the opening stanza.
The third fumble was recovered by Victor Hampton at the BCHS 43. Harris almost caught what would have been Quarles' third TD pass, but he was stopped
at the 1 yard line. Bryant scored the rushing touchdown, and Browning Smith's conversion kick made it 21-0 with 5:06 remaining in the half.
The Bears came back, however, to cut the lead to 21-14 before the Panthers scored a couple of touchdowns for insurance.
Myers doesn't want to think about what would have happened without the fumbles. And he doesn't want to fall behind the Bears early this time. The team
from Morgantown has a solid running game that would be effective for ball control if the Bears are playing from ahead instead of behind. Big back Jack
Daugherty is a load to bring down. Quarterback Cole Tynes, who has many relatives in the Chandlers area, runs the team well and likes to get the ball
to versatile back Eli Embry.
The Panthers are on a roll, having won five straight games and seven of their last eight. They've outscored their last four opponents 162-43.
Game time is 7 p.m. at Rhea Stadium. The game will be aired by tape delay on WRUS Saturday afternoon.
The LoJo
Coach Lee Proctor thinks his Logan County football team will have to continue its aggressive play if it is to end Allen County-Scottsville's marvelous
season Friday.
The Cougars scored two touchdowns and picked up two more first downs on what could well have been punting situations last week in their playoff opener
at Hopkins County Central. As a result, LCHS advanced to a rematch with AC-S in this week's regional semifinals.
Logan played one of its best games of the season at Scottsville on Oct. 16 but lost 40-20. The undefeated Patirots have outscored 10 opponents 310-107.
They had a bye last week, allowing Coach Brad Hood to scout the Logan game in person.
"Calculated risks" are important if the Cougars are to win, Proctor said Tuesday. "We will go all out. We may look really bad at times doing that, but
it's important for us to be aggressive.
"We played our best defense of the season last week, and our offensive line is improving every game. We have to get it all working together for a win
Friday, but it can happen."
That game also begins at 7 p.m. and will be carried live over WRUS.