The Alba-Golden Panthers will travel to face the undefeated Carlisle Indians on Thursday night, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. The Indians are ranked fourth in the state in Class 2A Division I and enter the game with a 6-0 overall record and a 3-0 district mark.
The Panthers fell to Cayuga 44-7 in district action at Panther Stadium last Friday night.
“Let’s just say it was not one of our best games. Our kids never quit, they kept fighting regardless of what the scoreboard said. We struggled on both sides of the ball. We did score on a 50-yard pass play to Cason Boyd. Other than that, we struggled to get anything going on offense,” head coach Drew Webster said.
Brett Sutton, normally a contributor on offense, played a key role on the defensive side of the ball against Cayuga.
“Brett led the way on defense. He had 14 tackles, an interception and a pass breakup. We still were able to rush for 120 yards using several running backs. We spread the ball out a little more this time with Sam Leddy, Brayden Anglin and Daidrian Green doing a good job for us,” Webster said.
Webster said the Panthers had to make adjustments because of injuries, moving players into different positions.
“When we had to regroup, senior tackle Simon Ortega led the way. You can see on the field the way he helps the younger kids. He plays the game with intensity and is a great leader on and off the field. He might go unnoticed on the line, but he is at the top of the list when it comes to being a leader and an example for our younger players,” Webster said.
The Panthers face a challenge Thursday against a Carlisle team that has remained unbeaten through seven games.
“Carlisle is a very good football team. They are ranked fourth in the state for a reason. They do everything right and rarely make any mistakes. It’s not overwhelming, they just do what they do without being fancy. They have a high efficiency level, they get things done,” Webster said.
Webster pointed to Como-Pickton’s performance against Carlisle as an example of how the Panthers will need to approach the game. Como-Pickton kept the game close through the first half before Carlisle pulled away in the second.
“Como did a good job on them in the first half. What we need to do is execute what we do on offense. We must take advantage of any opportunities they might give us. We must be diligent and consistent to be in the ball game. We must match their intensity and the physicality they represent,” Webster said.
Carlisle is led offensively by quarterback Antonio Ibarra, who has thrown 12 touchdown passes this season while averaging 87.7 rushing yards per game. Running back Elvis Hernandez averages 117.3 rushing yards per game and has scored 13 rushing touchdowns. Dakota Grigsby has caught six touchdown passes.
Through six games, Carlisle scored 287 points while allowing 63, an average of 47.8 points scored and 10.5 points allowed per game.
Defensively, senior linebacker Brandon Garza leads the Indians with an average of eight tackles per game. Sophomore defensive back Josue Hernandez averages 6.8 tackles, while fellow sophomore Xavier Espinoza averages 5.8 tackles per game. Carlisle’s defense has also forced multiple turnovers this season.
The Panthers will look to rebound from the Cayuga loss when they face Carlisle at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 in Carlisle.