Playoff longshot Central looking for positives
Following last week's 34-20 loss to Jackson, there was a sense of opportunity lost in the Central football program.
After breaking a playoff drought last season, the Chargers were looking to do bigger things this year. And while Central is 4-4 overall with no surprise losses and the potential for the program's first winning season in 10 years, the team will need outside help in order to make the playoffs out of GHSA Region 2-AAA.
"The big thing is, you want to finish the region strong," Central head coach Jesse Hicks said. "We didn't get the season we wanted ideally, but we've done some great things. I think we put up some big numbers individually, and I think our offense is leading the (region) in scoring and we have one of the top defenses in the region. There's some good things we can build on."
Central (3-3 region) closes the season with two opponents with which the Chargers match up well against. First up is Thursday's game at the Ed DeFore Sports Complex against Rutland, followed by a Nov. 6 date against Kendrick in Columbus. The Chargers beat both teams last year, and both opponents have sub-.500 records this season.
Interestingly, Kendrick provides the easiest path to the postseason for Central's longshot playoff hopes. A win by Kendrick over Spencer on Friday -- should Central beat Rutland -- puts the Chargers back into a playoff spot heading into the season's final week. There are other ways in which Central could qualify, but multiple things would have to happen.
Running back Antonio Sanders Jr., who limped off the field last week during the second quarter with a sprain, should be back in action against Rutland, Hicks said.
"That's a city rivalry, and that's something we've got to put a lot of pride into," Hicks said. "Then we want to finish strong by beating (Kendrick). You've got to rebound, you've got to look at what you didn't do well and start thinking how you can build for next year, even now, starting to think about 'Where am I at the end of the season? How many goals have we met?'
"And hopefully something will happen to get ourselves in the playoffs."
Rutland (1-7, 0-6) is closing out George Collins' final season as head coach. Collins, in his eighth year as head coach at Rutland and 15th as a head coach overall, announced his retirement earlier this month.
Thursday marks the final game in Macon-Bibb County for Collins and Rutland's 14 seniors. The Hurricanes are at Jackson on Nov. 6 to finish the season.
"You would like to win more, but looking back and seeing the kids visit and see the success they've had, I hope I had a part in them becoming successful citizens," Collins said.
Said Hicks, "George is a friend of mine; he's a wonderful colleague. He runs a class program, and he's a class act. He's going to be very, very well missed, especially by me. I bounce stuff off of him, he bounces stuff off of me.
"He's just one of those good guys in the profession. He's going to be sorely, sorely missed."