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PIGSKIN PREVIEW TEAM CAPSULE
North Mac Panthers
COACH: Shane Owsley (0-0 in 1st Season at North Mac)
2014 RECORD: 3-6 (2-6 Sangamo)
POSTSEASON: No Playoffs
TOP RETURNEES: RB Kendall Bearden (541 yds rushing, 6 TD’s), RB/LB Asa Donaldson (52 tackles in 2014), OL/DL Jon Meyers (6’5”, 310), QB Brennan White (6’1”, 175), LB Griffin Hatalla (5’10”, 175), LB Ryan Emery (5’11”, 215)
BIG LOSSES: Cody Koprowitz, Kaine Clark, Gage Shepard, Will Brown, Austin Seabolt
WHAT THE PANTHERS DO WELL: The good thing about struggling through a season with young players is that they’re hungry to get back to business the following year. That pretty much describes North Mac 2015. “We had seven or eight sophomores that were seeing time both offensively and defensively," Owsley says. “We were very, very young last year, but that also gave some players a lot of experience and has created some depth." That depth starts on the offensive line where the Panthers will be huge. “It’s very conceivable that we could average 300 pounds across the offensive line," Owsley notes. “It’s nice to have that size. It’s exciting for a team that wants to run the football."
NORTH MAC QUESTION MARKS: The Panthers have had a penchant for being notoriously slow starters. “We were in situation under Coach Lorton where we believed what we were doing," Owsley said, referencing 2014. “Now it’s more of a different mindset. Not whether we’re going to win the game, but by how much. We’ve talked about how we can respond to bad things, making sure they don’t turn into five or six bad things. We’ve treated them in a positive manner and they’ve responded."
WORTH NOTING: Owsley’s promotion to head coach after serving as a North Mac assistant is going to bring about a different vibe with a similar message. “We’re wearing “Stay together” bracelets again, like we did last year," Owsley says. “The message is that win, lose, or draw we are going to stay together. We’re really preaching team first." Quarterback Brennan White steps back into the role he inherited after Cody Koprowitz tore his ACL early last fall. “I guess some good came out of it”, Owsley opines. “Brennan White got six or seven game under his belt."
COACH OWSLEY SAYS: “Last year was the first year since the consolidation that we didn’t make the playoffs," Owsley says. “That’s not something we want to get used to. We see teams in the Sangamo that have a football program, not just a team. Our goal is a conference title and to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. Hopefully we’re moving in that direction."
| Date | Time | Result | Score | Opp. Score |
OT | H/A | Opponent | Opp. Record |
Opp. Enroll. |
Other Site/Game Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28 | 7:00 | A | New Berlin [Coop] | 0-0 | 407.00 | |||||
| Sep 4 | 7:00 | H | Pittsfield [Coop] | 0-0 | 451.00 | |||||
| Sep 11 | 7:00 | H | Williamsville | 0-0 | 474.00 | |||||
| Sep 18 | 7:00 | A | Auburn | 0-0 | 394.00 | |||||
| Sep 25 | 7:00 | H | Pleasant Plains | 0-0 | 431.00 | |||||
| Oct 2 | 7:00 | A | Athens [Coop] | 0-0 | 365.00 | |||||
| Oct 9 | 7:00 | H | Riverton | 0-0 | 419.00 | |||||
| Oct 17 | 1:00 | A | Chester | 0-0 | 333.00 | |||||
| Oct 23 | 7:00 | A | Petersburg (PORTA) [Coop] | 0-0 | 454.00 |
