Perry Panthers Renew Old Rivalry with New Region Opponent
The Perry Panthers (7-2, 4-0) will take on the Warner Robins Demons (6-3, 2-2) in Region 1-AAAA Play for the Week 12 Game of the Week
PERRY, Georgia – (41NBC/WMGT) – The Perry Panthers will renew an old rivalry with their new Region 1-AAAA opponent, the Warner Robins Demons, at McConnell Talbert Stadium on Friday in the Week 12 Game of the Week.
According to MaxPreps, Perry is ranked number one in the state in AAAA coming off their 31-27 region championship victory over Benedictine last Friday. That’s their fourth region title in the last five seasons.
Panthers eighth year Head Coach Kevin Smith has picked up where he left off from last year, doing even better in region play with a perfect 4-0 record so far. Perry has battled the last few weeks winning each of the last two region games by a closer and closer margin, including just a four-point win last week to secure the region.
Even with the offense hitting a wall, according to Coach Smith, the Panthers offense is still averaging 39 points a game over all season, and 50 points a game in region play. While this hard hitting defense has been physical on the line, forcing turnovers whenever they can, and only allowing 23 points a game in the process. Not to mention, the Panthers Special Teams play has stepped up to push them to victory, both in making kicks and in blocking them.
Even with the region title in the bag, Perry faces possibly their toughest region test of all now at ‘The Mac’ against the fourth best ranked AAAA team in the state just down the road. Even with the all-time record sitting at 5-7-1 against Warner Robins, these two teams have never been region opponents, and haven’t faced off since 1965.
However, many of these kids from both teams played each other growing up as kids, making this a new-age cross-town rivalry with local pride on the line.
“It means a lot to both communities. Fortunate for us, we were able to clinch the one seed. But, this game is very important to us because its the next game on the schedule” said Coach Smith at Monday’s practice. “Our confidence that our guys are playing with right now, from when we were in spring practice and everyone wanting to fire us; talk bad about us until now, winning a region championship because we’ve gotten better every week, every rep. I’m very proud of where we are right now, but we still got some mistakes that we are making, and we got to get those cleaned up, but I thought we are playing really well in all three phases of the game, and in each phase we still have some cleaning up to do.”
Panthers Junior Runningback DeCorrion Daniels is all about putting forth a good team effort to end the season with a perfect region record, before Perry heads into the playoffs. “{We} just got to get better at every position. The offensive line, get them blocked up so me and ‘Goot’ (Ahmad Gordon) can run the ball. Get them blocked up again and get Kory (Pettigrew), Kiel (Sparks), and Rodare (Rodarious) Lewis a chance to catch a ball and make a play.”
Senior Defensive End Ashlon Ashley is ready to make an impact before the Panthers get ready for playoff football. “I can play harder man. We all can play harder. We got to play more resilient, fix the errors in the secondary, and we haven’t played our best game of football yet. Its going to be good for Perry, its going to be good for our team morale to come up with the win. It’s going to let us know where we stand and get us ready for playoffs.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at McConnell-Talbert Stadium.
Catch live pregame coverage during 41NBC News at 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m. Don’t miss highlights from our Game of the Week, and others, on this Friday’s edition of The End Zone during 41NBC News at 11.
