The South Greene football team took a tough loss last week to West Greene, but there is no time to hang their heads as Region 1-2A foe Cumberland Gap visits Rebel Hill on Friday night.
“This is a must-win game. Not only do we need it for the conference standings, we need it for morale. We’ll see what we are made of,” South Greene coach Shawn Jones said.
Cumberland comes into Friday’s game with a 4-2 record and with one of the most dangerous running games in the region. Gabriel Daniels leads the way with 870 rushing yards and five touchdowns this season. As a team the Panthers are averaging 280 yards per game on the ground and four different players have scored multiple rushing touchdowns.
The Rebels feel like it will be important to get in front early on Friday in an effort to force the Panthers to throw the ball. Quarterback Noah Meyer has completed just 36 percent of his passes and has four interceptions with just 17 completions through six games.
“Their running back leads our conference in rushing. He has been hard to stop,” Jones said. “They’ve gone to a power running style and it has been very effective. They’ve played from the spread the last couple of years, and that has been good for us. We feel like if we can get in front and force them into the spread that can be good for us. They’ll start in the power.”
South Greene’s offense has run through senior running back Tripp Neas this season, but after getting banged up against West Greene it is unclear how much the Rebels will be able to use Neas on Friday. In his stead Trent Haynes ran for 125 yards against the Buffaloes, and he looks to be counted on once again against the Panthers.
Eli Fillers gives South Greene another capable runner, and quarterback Dawson Ripley is coming off his most productive day passing as he threw for 143 yards against West Greene.
A year ago South Greene beat Cumberland Gap 55-6. South Greene leads the all-time series 13-5 dating back to 2003. The Rebels have won eight straight in the series with the Panthers’ last win coming in 2012.
South Greene is now 3-3 overall and 0-1 in Region 1-2A play. If it wants to host a playoff game a win on Friday will be necessary. Friday will be Cumberland Gap’s first region contest of the season.
“We have to bounce back, but there are a lot questions,” Jones said. “Cumberland Gap is totally different than the last few years. It’s going to be a challenge. We expect to get their best shot, but I feel like if we play to our ability we’ll be fine.”
Kickoff is set for 7 PM on Rebel Hill after the school celebrates homecoming. The game will be live on the air on WIKQ 103.1 FM.
