FOUNTAIN LAKE – Mistakes, fumbles and penalties spelled the difference between a win and a loss for the Ashdown Panthers on the road Friday night, Oct 12, against the Fountain Lake Cobras.
Panther Coach Todd Ledford said the Panthers “came out flat” and never recovered.
“We started the ballgame flat and tried to pick it back up in the third quarter – then mistakes caught us, anywhere from holding penalties to just not getting it done,” Ledford said.
Adding insult to injury, the Panthers turned the ball over four times to the Cobras – two pick-offs and two fumbles.
“With all due respect, Ashdown should never lose to Fountain Lake—or DeQueen – and that’s a fact and I don’t mind saying it,” Ledford said. “It’s just been one of those years where it’s been tough to overcome mistakes.
“It’s the same story, mistakes are killing us every week,” Ledford said. “In the two games we’ve won, we haven’t had much of that.”
With Nashville, Mena and Central Arkansas Christian (CAC) looming on the horizon, Ledford said the Panthers have two choices – “pick it back up this week or go ahead and lie down.” Ledford said it’s pretty much “do or die” for the Panthers against the Scrappers, Bearcats and Mustangs.
“We’ve got to win out to have a chance to make the playoffs,” Ledford said. “That’s a tall order because Nashville’s coming to town (Friday night, Oct. 19), we still have to go to Mena and then we have CAC here, three pretty good football teams.”
Ledford’s advice to the Panthers during practice this week was the same as a boxing coach to a fighter possibly down for the count.
“We have to get back up off the deck – that’s all you can tell them,” Ledford said. “It was a disappointment to lose to Fountain Lake, but that’s over and done with. We’ve got to come back out here, we’ve got to prepare to beat Nashville and we’ll do that.”
Ledford is optimistic the Panthers can indeed “pick it up” and beat the super-powerhouse Nashville Scrappers.
“Around Ashdown and with our football team, there’s never been a problem getting up for Nashville,” Ledford said. “So, I expect our kids to be flying high Friday night, there’s no doubt about that. They do get excited about playing them.”