FRIGID TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE AIR, SNOW IS ON THE GROUND BUT THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEASON IS JUST HEATING UP AND IT DOESN’T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THE BIGHORN BRAWL FRIDAY NIGHT. THE POWELL PANTHERS AND CODY BRONCS WILL CONTINUE THEIR CROSS COUNTY RIVALRY AT SPIKE VANNOY STADIUM IN A MATCH-UP OF TOP 5 TEAMS. THE BRONCS COME INTO THIS MEETING UNDEFEATED ON THE SEASON, WHILE POWELL SPORTS A 3-2 OVERALL RECORD. IT DOESN’T GET ANY CLOSER FOR THESE TWO PROGRAMS AS THEY ARE 5-5 AGAINST ONE ANOTHER IN THEIR LAST 10 GAMES. HEAD COACH OF THE BRONCS MATT MCFADDEN TOUCHES ON THIS HISTORIC RIVALRY.
“IT’S WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT FOOTBALL, THESE RIVALRY GAMES. WHETHER IT’S AT CODY OR AT POWELL IT’S NOT GOING TO MATTER, THE TOWNS ARE GOING TO SHOW UP, IT’S GOING TO BE BLACK AND BLUE, AND THAT’S HOW THE GAMES PLAYED. IT’S NOT ONE BASED ON HATRED AT ALL, IT’S ONE BASED ON RESPECT BY THE PLAYERS AND THE COACHES BUT LIKE I TELL THE KIDS THERE’S NO ONE YOU’D RATHER BEAT THAN A FRIEND OF YOURS. WE’RE BOTH VERY COMPETITIVE, BOTH SIDES. IT’LL BE A CLEAN GAME, YOU KNOW IT’S GOING TO BE AN INTENSE GAME AND A PHYSICAL GAME BUT GOOD FOOTBALL. RIVALRY GAMES. WHAT EVERYBODY LIKES TO WATCH.”
AS FOR THE GAME PLAN, THE BRONCS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOUND FUNDAMENTALLY AND CAN’T BEAT THEMSELVES. COACH MCFADDEN SAYS POWELL MAY BE THE MOST DISCIPLINED DEFENSE THEY’LL FACE ALL YEAR.
“THEY PLAY EXTREMELY, FUNDAMENTALLY SOLID DEFENSE. THEIR SOLID, THEY’RE BIG UP FRONT AND THEY HAVE TERRIFIC TECHNIQUE. THERE’S SOME THINGS THEY KNOW THE WEAKNESS OF THEIR DEFENSE AND THEY DON’T CARE. THEY’RE GOING TO MAKE YOU BEAT THEM. THEY WILL NEVER BEAT THEMSELVES. WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND EXECUTE, WE HAVE TO BEAT THEM CAUSE THEY WON’T GIVE YOU ANY CHEAP PLAYS. YOU’RE GOING TO EARN EVERYTHING YOU GET.”
CODY IS RANKED #1 IN RUSH DEFENSE IN CLASS 3A AND 2ND IN THE RUN BUT THIS GAME COULD COME DOWN TO THE ATHLETES ON THE OUTSIDE.
“WE’RE GOING TO NEED TO THROW THE BALL ON THESE GUYS A TON. SO WE’RE GOING TO NEED TO MAKE PLAYS AND GO UP AND HIGH POINT SOME BALLS. SOMETIMES A DEEP BALL, SOMETIMES JUST A SHALLOW BALL. WE NEED TO BECOME OFFENSIVE THREATS AND WE NEED TO GET THAT TO THEM. THAT’S ALL 11 GUYS. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL OUR DEFENSIVE BACKS. THIS IS A RUNNING TEAM AND WHEN YOU COMMIT TO STOP THE RUN YOU PUT YOUR GUYS OUT ON ISLANDS. THEY’VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO PLAY ON ISLANDS OUT THERE. WE’VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO LOCK DOWN AND NOT GIVE UP A BIG ONE.”
AND WHAT’S A RIVALRY WITHOUT A TROPHY, AS CODY AND POWELL WILL BE PLAYING FOR MORE THAN JUST BRAGGING RIGHTS AND A WIN AS COACH MCFADDEN EXPLAINS.
“A FEW YEARS AGO WE STARTED A TRAVELING TROPHY CALLED BIGHORN BRAWL. YOU KNOW WE GOT A BIG HORN TROPHY, WE PUT THE SCORES ON IT EACH YEAR. IT KIND OF GIVES A LITTLE EXTRA INCENTIVE TO EACH SIDE YOU KNOW TO TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES. KNOWING THE COACHES AT POWELL WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND I THINK ITS BEEN A REALLY GOOD THING FOR EACH SIDE. IT’S 2-2, THIS WILL BE THE FIFTH YEAR AND ONE SIDE’LL BREAK THE TIE. A LITTLE BRAGGING FOR THE COUNTY.
THE 2019 EDITION OF THE BIGHORN BRAWL TAKES PLACE AT SPIKE VANNOY STADIUM IN CODY, FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE BRONCS HOST THE PANTHERS OUT OF POWELL. YOU CAN LISTEN TO ALL OF THE EXCITING ACTION ON KODI AM 1400 AND 96.7FM WITH PRE-GAME AT 6:30, KICK-OFF AT 7PM.
