Bracken County has already taken a big step forward this season on the football field.
Can they take one more?
That answer comes Friday night when they head back down to Carlisle to take on Nicholas County in the opening round of the Class A playoffs. The Polar Bears enter at 5-5, one of those games a COVID forfeit while the Bluejackets sit at 6-5, having a COVID forfeit count for them and one against them.
It’s a meeting just 14 days apart from the first one, a 38-6 Bluejackets victory on October 22.
“I’m probably in the minority here, but I like the current playoff system. I like playing a district opponent again. For us it gives us a second chance to work on the mistakes we had in the first matchup,” Polar Bears coach Simon Clouse said. “It gives us a second chance at teams and look at what was successful and build on that.”
In the first meeting, the Bluejackets used their rushing attack to pull away in what was a close game in the first half. They ran for 315 yards on 37 carries, Dalton Hughes finding the end zone five times in the victory. The Polar Bears are carrying some hope despite the lopsided final, knowing they had a chance down 7-6 a few minutes before the half driving to take the lead, but an interception was returned to their five and Nicholas took the momentum from there to turn it into a 17-6 halftime advantage.
“We know what they want to do and that’s play smashmouth football. It helps out a lot seeing what they did to us offensively. Going back and looking at a lot of the run plays, they ran a lot of the same plays over and over. I don’t blame them, it worked. We need to fix our mistakes and come back with different defensive gameplan and put us in a place where we can succeed,” Clouse said.
If the Polar Bears can pull off what would be considered an upset, it would be just the program’s second playoff win ever, the first coming in 2017 over Fairview. Clouse feels the team is prepared as it can be entering Friday.
“Best week of practice I think since I’ve been here. The guys have the right mindset, some of them it has sunk in that it’s win or go home. There’s no more guaranteed games for us, either advance or one last bus ride home,” Clouse said.
In order to earn the win, they’ll need a productive effort from their workhorse running back Payton Tully and some positive plays in the passing game with Charlie Schultz at quarterback.
Tully has put together a District Player of the Year type season with 1,281 rushing yards on 192 carries and nine touchdowns. They were able to move the ball some in the first contest between the two with 102 rushing yards, but Clouse pointed to numerous three and outs that cost them.
“That changes momentum. Had good momentum in first quarter going into second and then some things didn’t go our way,” Clouse said. “Have to make some stops defensively and get off the field. Got them behind the chains a few times and didn’t get off the field.”
Whatever happens Friday, the Polar Bears are taking steps in the right direction. After one win the past two seasons, getting to five this season with possibly more is trending the right way.
“Some of these kids got to taste some success and be a part of it. We’ve built some momentum for years to come and feel like the seniors set the standard for what it will be like for years to come,” Clouse said.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
GAMETRACKER
WHO: Bracken County Polar Bears (5-5) at Nicholas County Bluejackets (6-5)
WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Nicholas County High School, Carlisle
PREVIOUS MEETING: Nicholas County won, 38-6 on October 22
ALL-TIME SERIES: Nicholas County leads 12-2
Leave a Reply