THIS FRIDAY NIGHT WILL SEE THE RETURN OF THE BIG HORN BRAWL AS THE POWELL PANTHERS AND CODY BRONCS WILL CLASH WITH A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BID ON THE LINE. LAST TIME THESE TWO TEAMS MET WAS A MONTH AGO IN THE REGULAR SEASON WHICH SAW CODY PREVAIL 38-14. NOW THE PANTHERS, FRESH OFF THEIR FIRST ROUND WIN AGAINST LANDER ARE HARD AT WORK IN PREPARATION OF THE REMATCH. HEAD COACH OF THE PANTHERS AARON PAPICH TALKS ABOUT THE TEAMS FOCUS AT PRACTICE THIS WEEK.
“IT’S ALWAYS JUST MASTERING THE FUNDAMENTALS. WE KNOW THAT CODY IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT LOOKS AND THEY’VE GOT A GREAT BACKFIELD. THEIR QUARTERBACK IS GOOD, HAYS HAS A LOT OF PLAY-MAKING ABILITY. WE JUST HAVE TO TRUST OUR TEAM AND DO THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. IF WE CAN JUST READ OUR KEYS AND KEEP IT SIMPLE I THINK WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.”
WITH TWO TEAMS THAT ARE SO CLOSE IN PROXIMITY, SO FAMILIAR WITH ONE ANOTHER A LOT OF TIMES THESE GAMES COME DOWN TO EFFORT AND EXECUTING AT A HIGH LEVEL.
“FROM SNAP TO WHISTLE WE’RE GIVING 100%. WE HAVE TO SUSTAIN BLOCKS AND GIVE INCREDIBLE EFFORT. TALKED A LOT ABOUT OUR TEAM, JUST ABOUT OUR DISCIPLINE, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND THAT’S JUST IN OUR BEHAVIOR AND THE CHOICES THAT WE CHOOSE TO MAKE. SO IF OUR GUYS CAN CHOOSE TO BLOCK FOR FIVE SECONDS, CHOOSE TO RUN AS HARD AS THEY CAN AND PLAY FOR THEIR TEAMMATES, I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT YOU PUT INTO IT, THE AMOUNT OF BELIEF YOU HAVE IN EACH OTHER AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY JUST ADD TO THE GAME.”
AND WHEN ASKED WHAT IT’S GOING TO TAKE FOR POWELL TO COME AWAY VICTORIOUS COACH PAPICH’S ANSWER WAS STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.
“WELL I THINK IT’S JUST ONE PLAY AT A TIME AND TRUSTING THE BROTHERS. AND THE BROTHERHOOD.”
IT’S THE BIG HORN BRAWL ROUND TWO AS THE POWELL PANTHERS TRAVEL INTO CODY FOR A RE-MATCH AGAINST THE BRONCS. WINNER WILL ADVANCE TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND YOU CAN HEAR THE CALL ON AM 1400 AND 96.7FM, KICK-OFF AT 6PM. STAY TUNED TO THE BIG HORN RADIO NETWORK TO HEAR FROM BRONCS COACH MATT MCFADDEN TO PREVIEW THIS CONTEST.
