Powell Preparing for Tough Road Contest Against Rival Cody
Written by Cole Havens on October 9, 2019
IT’S RIVALRY WEEK IN WYOMING AS THE POWELL PANTHERS GET SET TO TAKE ON THE CODY BRONCS IN THE BIGHORN BRAWL ON FRIDAY. THIS IS A RIVALRY BUILT LESS ON A DISLIKE BETWEEN THE TWO PROGRAMS BUT ONE THAT’S FORMED BASED ON PROXIMITY AND A RESPECT OF THE TWO PROGRAMS AS CODY AND POWELL ARE SEPARATED BY JUST 25 MILES. POWELL COMES INTO THIS GAME WITH A 3-2 OVERALL RECORD, 1-1 IN CONFERENCE PLAY AND HEAD COACH OF THE PANTHERS AARON PAPICH GIVES A LITTLE INSIGHT TO WHAT THIS RIVALRY IS LIKE.
“OUR GUYS ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING HARD BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHO THEY’RE FACING PERSONALLY, AND THAT ALWAYS ADDS AN ELEMENT, CERTAINLY ONE THAT’S DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER TEAM THAT WE FACE. SO I THINK IT’S SOMETHING WHERE IT’S ALMOST LIKE A BACKYARD GAME, WHERE THE INTEGRITY OF THE GAME IS INTACT BUT THEY’RE GOING TO BE KNOWING WHO THEY’RE PLAYING AGAINST EVERY SINGLE PLAY. SO I THINK THAT JUST ADDS A LOT OF PRIDE FOR THESE GUYS, SO I WANT OUR GUYS TO SHOW UP AND PLAY HARD AS WELL.”
AS FOR THE X’S AND O’S OF FRIDAY’S CONTEST POWELL WILL HAVE TO DO A GOOD JOB OF CONTAINING CODY’S HIGH OCTANE RUN GAME. COACH PAPICH TALKS ABOUT THE DEFENSIVE APPROACH.
“IT JUST COMES DOWN TO LEVERAGING OUR BLOCKS, THEY’VE GOT A DOUBLE WING. SO I THINK WITH THAT, THEY CREATE AN EXTRA GAP ON THE OUTSIDE AND SO YOU’VE GOT TO BE GAP SOUND WITH YOUR DEFENSE ON RUN BUT AT THE SAME TOO, YOU’VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO COVER THOSE WINGS IF THEY GO OUT FOR A PASS. IT DEFINITELY CREATES A LOT OF STRESS FOR A DEFENSE BUT WE DO HAVE RULES THAT WE TELL OUR PLAYERS AND I THINK THAT IF WE CAN STICK TO THOSE RULES IT’LL BE A GOOD GAME FOR US.”
BOTH TEAMS FEATURE OUTSTANDING O AND D LINES AND THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MAIN STORIES TO CODY’S SUCCESS THUS FAR. COACH PAPICH AGREES AND SAYS POWELL’S LINE WILL HAVE TO STEP UP FOR THE PANTHERS TO COME AWAY VICTORIOUS.
“I THINK IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO OUR LINE PLAY IS HUGE BECAUSE THAT JUST SETS THE TONE FOR ALL OTHER POSITION GROUPS. THEY’RE THE FIRST LINE OF ATTACK AND THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE. IF WE CAN GET OUR BIG GUYS PLAYING HARD ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL I THINK THAT’LL THE KEY FOR OUR WHOLE TEAM.”
POWELL TRAVELS TO CODY TO TAKE ON THE BRONCS AT SPIKE VANNOY STADIUM ON FRIDAY FOR THE BIGHORN BRAWL WITH KICK-OFF AT 7PM. STAY TUNED TO THE BIG HORN RADIO NETWORK TO HEAR FROM BRONCS HEAD COACH MATT MCFADDEN IN PREPARATION OF THIS RIVALRY MATCH-UP.
