HOSCHTON, Ga. — With No. 5 and unbeaten Gainesville showing it will be a tough favorite to beat in Region 8-6A, that makes every game inside the region an almost must-win for everyone else.
Jackson County coach Rich McWhorter knows it and is bringing everything he knows to the table as he tries to get his Panthers into the playoffs for a second consecutive season, and first time in Class 6A.
But with still a month to go before they close out the season against the Red Elephants, the Panthers (3-4, 2-1 Region 8-6A) find themselves just one-half game back of Gainesville and in third place. Two huge games lay in between, starting on Thursday with a talented but under-achieving Shiloh team (2-4, 1-1, Region 8-6A) that was a preseason playoff pick.
“This region is very, very balanced,” McWhorter said earlier this week as they got ready to travel to Lithonia. “Gainesville is looking like the team to beat but I think everybody else is right there. It’s going to be very interesting over the final month.”
Jackson County comes in riding a two-game region winning streak after knocking off both Apalachee (28-10) and Habersham Central (38-13) last week. Shiloh wallopped Apalachee 55-7 last week for its first region win of the year. Both teams’ region losses have come to North Forsyth.
If size matters, then McWhorter feels his quad is an underdog every week.
“A theme I’ve noticed in this region is that there is a lot of size (on the lines of scrimmage),” he said. “We’re not very big up front this year. There have been a couple of games where it was very noticeable and a struggle for us. So we’re having to find ways we can use what we’re good at to our advantage.”
What the Panthers have been good at all season is playing hard-nosed, physical defense. They are yielding just 16.1 points/game, which is good for top 20 in Class 6A, and just 12.1 ppg in region play, which is second-best in the region. They have forced 12 turnovers with 51 tackles for loss and 15 sacks on the season.
Junior defensive tackle Peyton Scott, senior defensive end Jesse Combs, and senior linebacker Riley Konarski have led a front-seven that is among the best in the region. Scott leads the team in tackles with 61 while Coombs has a team-leading 6 sacks.
And the burden of pushing their win streak to three may well fall on their shoulders. Shiloh is averaging nearly 350 yards/game and has scored the second-most points in 8-6A (184, 30.6 ppg). But the Generals also have committed 12 turnovers (4 fumbles, 8 INT).
“We rely on our defense keeping us in the game. And they have played well all year,” McWhorter said. “Peyton, Jesse, and Riley in particular have been outstanding. The group as a whole has responded well to the pressure. We have a lot of confidence in that group with (defensive coordinator) Coach Tyson Baxter. He puts together tremendous game plans every week.”
“But Shiloh may be the most athletic team we’ve played this season. They run a good spread offense. They have a tremendous group in the (defensive) secondary. We will have our hands full.”
For McWhorter, success lies with avoiding the “catastrophe.”
“On film, I think we're a good team. We have several guys that are playing at a high level on both sides of the ball. It shows when you watch us,” he said. “Our problem is that when we make a mistake, it’s usually catastrophic. Pick-6s, penalties on scoring plays, things that are real momentum changers. We have to cut down on those in the big games.”
To date, this is the biggest game of the season for the Panthers. Win and they can set themselves up next week at home against Lanier with a chance to clinch a playoff spot. Lose, and they will be in a must-win situation with Lanier and then Gainesville to follow.
“This is the next game and that’s all we’re focused on. But this is a huge game when you look at how the region is going,” McWhorter said. “It’s going to be a tough game but every game in this region is. I feel like our guys will be ready.”
