French Camp football coach Nathan Wright can see everything coming together for his football team.
It just has not happened yet.
The Panthers played one of their best defense games of the season but dropped a 10-0 decision to homesteading Nanih Waiya on Friday night.
Despite the final outcome, Wright said his team was on the verge of getting that first win.
“We just couldn’t connect and were right there,” Wright said. “We had a touchdown on the goal line that they ruled a fumble and that’s the way it goes sometimes. We felt like we could throw on them, but Cody wasn’t as sharp as normal. When he made a good throw, we couldn’t catch it. It was just one of those things. We felt like we were better overall but just couldn’t connect with the big catches that we needed.”
The Warriors put together just one drive in the game. The Warriors went 68 yards in 11 plays as Bryce Woodruff scored on a 4-yard run with 6:47 left in the second quarter. Jake Vick kicked the PAT and the Warriors led 7-0, a score that held until halftime.
The Panthers had a shot at the end zone when they recovered a Nanih Waiya fumble at the Warriors 10. Two plays later, Silas Hodge fumbled at the goal line after it looked as though he was down to end the French Camp scoring threat.
That was as close as the Panthers got to scoring as Nanih Waiya closed out the scoring with a 25-yard field goal with 1:49 left in the game for a 10-0 lead.
“I like where we are, and I like my team. I hope we can stay healthy and like where we are. I feel like we are trying to turn the corner. We are in a good spot,” Wright said. “The good thing is everything we are dealing with is 100 percent correctable. It’s not every year that you deal with that. I think we have the pieces to be really good, we just need some more desire on the line. This difference in being kinda good and really good is being coachable.”
French Camp struggled on offense with 80 yards passing and 76 rushing. Silas Hodge led the rushing attack with 51 yards on 13 carries while Cody Perry had 22 yards rushing on three carries and was 8-of-21 passing for 80 yards.
Macon Bentley had 36 yards receiving on five catches while Rob Surrette had 36 yards receiving on two catches.
“Our interior guys struggle. If we could get a couple of blocks, we would be fine. We knew we were going to be weak there, but we are trying to get better,” Wright said. “I think we have the pieces to be really good. We just have to get a whole lot better up front. We have the bodies; we just lack the desire.”
On defense, Ethan Wright had a big game with nine solo tackles and 10 assists with two fumble recoveries and one fumble caused. Landon Rushing also had seven solo tackles and eight assists with one fumble caused. Hodge had eight solo tackles and five assists while Cody Perry and JD Leach had three solo tackles and five assists. Surrette had eight assists while Bradley McCory had three tackles and Javon Hood had two tackles. Abu Sillah had one solo tackle and four assists.
“I think my two middle linebackers are the best we have had since I have been here,” Wright said. “They get after it pretty good and had a really good night. I moved Silas Hodge to defensive end, and he had an outstanding game. You hate to put your running back there, but you do what you have to do.”
Nanih Waiya had just 180 yards of total offense with 112 rushing and 68 passing.
“No doubt, I’m really pleased with where we are on defense,” Wright said. “I kind of chewed them out for not being coachable against Starkville. Without having guys that grow up with you, they are trying to figure stuff out. They do it in practice and then do their own thing in the game. Then they see it in film and see why you don’t do that. But I thought my defensive ends played much better and gave us a chance to win.”
This week’s game
The Panthers will open district play this week as they travel to Hamilton to take on the Lions.
Hamilton is 1-3 on the season with losses to Southeast Lauderdale (25-7), Smithville (31-0), and Okolona (28-8). Their lone win was against McAdams (45-0).
“It’s a division game, so that’s an important one,” Wright said. “We played a tough schedule to get ready for our division schedule and now we are here. Our goal is to get in the playoffs, and we feel like if we can get in, we have a chance and that starts now.”
