The Saints bid for first place in the East Central 9 Man Football division came to an abrupt halt on Thursday afternoon as the Foam Lake Panthers put together a dominant performance at Sacred Heart.
Head coach Trent Senger felt that the loss came down to physicality on the line as the Panthers offensive and defensive linemen dictated most of the play off the line of scrimmage. Senger also mentioned that he felt that they would be in for a tough game as the Panthers are currently unbeaten and the Saints are a younger squad that is still learning to match the physicality and aggression the Panthers brought.
The Saints now look to battle with the Melville MCS Cobras for second place and the home field advantage in a game that will likely feature the two rivals again once the regular season ends. Senger says the key to the rematch in Melville is aggression and that the Saints will need to be aggressive in practice to prepare to match what the Cobras will bring on their home turf Thursday. Offensive line play will also be a key as the Saints will need to give their quarterback more time to execute in the offense than in their loss. The Saints looked much better in their home win over Melville in what was an evenly matched contest to the final whistle. Home field advantage will be on the line between the two rival schools in what is billed as, "the game of the season." At 4:30 p.m. in Melville the playoff picture of both schools will start to look a little clearer.
