Statesboro

SHS has a lot on the line in final regular-season game

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The regular season draws to a close tonight as Statesboro travels to region rival Brunswick. The Blue Devils clinched a spot in the GHSA playoffs last week, but still have some business to take care of with the Pirates.

            A win tonight would assure Statesboro of a home game in the first round of the playoffs while a loss would drop the Devils to the No. 4  seed out of Region 2-AAAA and would send them on the road to face the region champion from 3-AAAA.

            Although tonight’s game holds some important consequences, Statesboro is concentrating more on the task at hand than the possible postseason scenarios.

            “We know what a win means, but that’s not what we want to focus on,” said Pennington. “Our goal is to go out there and win this week’s game. We don’t want to strive for the rewards of winning. We want to focus on winning and then reap the benefits that can come from it.”

            The task at hand is certainly a formidable one.

            Brunswick is currently tied for first place in the region and has been in and out of the state rankings throughout the season.

            Offense is the name of the Pirates’ game. In all but one of its victories, Brunswick has managed to score 34 or more points. The opponents haven’t been slouches either. In consecutive weeks, the Pirates put up a combined 74 points on Glynn Academy and Effingham County – two schools that held the Devils to just seven points each during back-to-back losses earlier this season.

            Big plays are the calling card of the Brunswick attack. With playmakers spread all over the field, even a good defensive stand can turn into a long touchdown in an instant.

            “It looks like they do a lot even though their game plan is kind of simple,” said Pennington. “They’re just very effective in what they do on both sides of the ball. Brunswick has a bunch of athletes that can really hurt you. It’s going to take a good defensive effort and we’re going to have to limit the big play.”

            Perhaps the biggest help to Statesboro going into tonight’s game is the recent rest that it has enjoyed. After playing in each of the season’s first nine weeks, the Devils finally got a much deserved break with a bye last week.

            “It’s been very helpful for us,” said Pennington. “We have some guys that are healthier and we’ve had the opportunity to take a good look at how we want to approach this week’s game. We worked on breaking some of our own bad habits during the open week, and this week we’ve really been going hard to prepare for what we’ve seen from Brunswick.”

            In addition to securing a home game in the first round of the postseason, a Statesboro win would also return a favor from last season.

            In 2008, the Devils hooked up with Statesboro in the final week of the season. Statesboro was within one win of a perfect regular season, but a late score by the Pirates earned them a 30-29 victory, ending the Devils’ unbeaten run and wrestling away the Region 2-AAAA championship in front of the Womack Field crowd.

            While jumping the Pirates in the standings on the final week would be poetic justice, Statesboro is only concerned with the game at hand and isn’t trying to settle any scores.

            “We’re motivated, but it doesn’t have anything to do with last year,” said Pennington. “If you have to look to the past for reasons to get motivated for a game, then chances are you won’t be prepared.”

            Despite two region losses, the possibility of a region title is still alive for Statesboro. A Blue Devil win coupled with a Ware County loss would create a three-way tie for first place between Statesboro, Ware and Brunswick. Based on head-to-head results, the Devils would be awarded with the region title and No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

            Mike Anthony can be reached at (912) 489-9404.