Last Friday, the Whitharral Panthers football team played host to the Lubbock Titans and the Nazareth Swifts in a threeteam scrimmage.
While there was no official score kept, the Panthers appeared to have their way with both teams, providing Head Coach Josh Watson with optimism for the future of his team.
“Well, I thought it went pretty well. Our kids executed the best they could for the experience they have,” Watson said. “I thought we were somewhat physical, but we could be a little bit more in certain areas. Our linemen can have faster steps on their pulls and traps. Overall, I was pleased with the first scrimmage. I really can’t be disappointed, our defense, the starters shut out both teams, that was exciting to see.”
A two-team shut out is a fantastic way to kick off head-tohead play, and it could be foreshadowing of what’s to come from the defensive unit this season.
Senior Damian Rodriguez made the play of the day as outside linebacker, making a onehanded interception to prevent a touchdown.
Along with Rodriguez, many other defensive players recorded sacks and tackles for loss throughout a dominant defensive showing.
On the offensive side of the ball, Coach Watson noted that the Panthers were practically doing whatever they pleased, and whether they wanted to run it or pass it, they could.
Senior running backs Brent Robinson and Greg Johnson starred offensively on the night with countless explosive and powerful runs, while offensive linemen/tight ends Nate Sansom and Hudson Dobrovolny also made several catches and impact blocks.
One of Coach Watson’s goals for the year is for the Panthers to implement an element of imposing physicality offensively, and he acknowledged this scrimmage was a step in the right direction. While it’s a great start, Coach Watson still sees things that need sharpening.
“We’re definitely not in shape yet, but it’s the first scrimmage. We started getting tired and lazy, which is why our linemen’s steps were a little slow,” Watson said. “That’s the main thing, but overall, our kids have a toughness, and they were still wanting to execute, even though they were tired.”
The right motive is in place, but like every team, the Panthers need to adapt to the speed and physicality of real-game action.
This Friday, they’ll get another chance to continue to knock the rust off and prepare for the regular season as they host the Petersburg Buffaloes for a scrimmage at 5pm.
That will be their final scrimmage before their first official game on the road against the #15 ranked Springlake Earth Wolverines on August 29 at 7:30 p.m.