Charging onto the field this week, the varsity Cumberland Panthers will be facing off against the Markham Raiders in Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL) action on Saturday July 11th, at 7:30pm at St. Joy.
Meanwhile, the junior varsity squad is on a bye week and will play their next game on July 19th.
Panthers Head Coach Ron Raymond said the varsity squad is making adjustments after a disappointing performance against the Ottawa Myers Riders.
“In order for us to reach our ultimate team goal we need to improve every week, so we can be running on all cylinders for the playoffs,” said Raymond. “I had the complete wrong game plan versus Myers and it’s a mistake I will not make twice.”
“We started slow out of the gate, but we beat them in the second half 7-3 and we shut them down. Again, it’s on me that we lost. However, I’m hoping we get to see them again in the playoffs.”
The biggest challenge for the Panthers this upcoming game will likely be executing and finishing plays on both sides of the ball.
“Our defense has given us a chance to win every week, but as an offense, we are still trying to get over the hump, but that starts with me, giving them the right game plan to execute and calling the right plays at the right time of the game,” Raymond said. “The team has a lot of veterans this year and senior players who will want to taste success and the staff has been working at making the team gel as a cohesive unit.”
“Our quarterbacks have had six games now to figure things out and we will go far as long as they are ready to lead the offense. There comes a time in the season where you just tell your quarterback, look, we are at the tipping point here. Time to take off the training wheels and start leading.”
The team went back to the basics this week, training with fundamentals and going simple for offence.
“I’m looking for the offense to engineer long drives and finishing,” Raymond said. “I want our o-line to block, the quarterback to make the right reads and the receivers to catch and block.”
“I know this is cliché, but that’s where we are at right now as a unit on offense.”
However, the Panthers will have to adjust to playing their last two games away from home.
“We are going on the road for the next two games and I feel this will have a huge impact on our season and into the playoffs,” said Raymond.
Raymond feels the Panthers are on the right track heading into the postseason. The team is hoping to still get a first round bye and finish second in the conference.
It will only take one game to find out the results on their position.
“No matter where we finish, we feel this edition of the Panthers can play with anybody in this league and we will be ready when they tell us where to play,” said Raymond.
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