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7:20 p.m.
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Cross Creek (3-6) at
Statesboro (7-2)
7:30 p.m., 102.9 FM
Womack Field
The playoffs don’t technically begin until next week, but it’s do-or-die for the Statesboro Blue Devils from here on out.
The Devils (7-2, 2-1 Region 3-AAAA) take on Cross Creek (3-6, 2-1) in a region play-in contest tonight at Womack Field. The winner will advance to the Class AAAA state playoffs while the loser will be done for the season.
Statesboro was one win away from already having its place reserved in the state playoffs. A win against Wayne County last week would have put the Devils in tonight’s region championship game, but now the Devils must win their way into the postseason.
“Of course we would have liked to be playing for a region championship,” said SHS coach Steve Pennington. “But that can’t be what’s on our minds. When you don’t win, you have to live with the consequences and keep fighting. Even when you win, you get to reap the benefits, but you still have to keep fighting. That’s the attitude that we have on this team.”
In order to keep fighting towards a run through the playoffs, the Devils first have to get past the Razorbacks. Cross Creek began the season with five consecutive losses and hasn’t even sniffed a state ranking (the Devils were ranked in each of the first 10 GHSA polls), but came through with enough wins in sub-region play to keep itself in the hunt.
“You can’t just look at the records,” said Pennington. “Cross Creek has earned their way to this point and they have just as much right to expect to win this game and move on as we do.”
In order to get back into the win column and keep its season going, Statesboro will have to shut down a Razorback offense that can attack in several different ways.
Cross Creek can pound away with a power rush I-formation to set up play-action passing. The Razorbacks also employ a spread look that has been the offense featured by Wayne County and Burke County in the Devils’ two losses this season.
Unlike some teams that show tons of formations in an attempt to keep the opposition off balance, the Razorbacks keep their varying offensive strategies separate and tend to focus on just one once they settle into a game.
“We’ve really had to prepare for two different offenses,” said Pennington. “They can be effective both ways. The good thing is that after this many games, there really isn’t much that we haven’t seen.”
Offensively, the Devils will run up against a defensive scheme similar to the one that Wayne County employed last week. The Razorbacks don’t have the same size as the Yellow Jacket front that made life tough for SHS, but still poses a challenge.
“They’re pretty quick on defense,” said Pennington. “Just like always, we’re going to have to stay on our blocks and execute. No matter what the stakes are, our objectives are always the same.”
If Statesboro wins it will be the No. 3 seed and will be on the road against the No. 2 seed from Region 4-AAAA next week. If Cross Creek prevails, the outcomes of the other two Region 3-AAAA play-in games will determine the Razorbacks’ seeding in the state playoffs.
Mike Anthony may be reached at (912) 489-9404.