Area Missouri
Drew Riley has never been tempted.
Ditto for his Fort Zumwalt North football teammates.
The Panthers, who sport a sizzling 8-0 record, refuse to get involved in any post-touchdown histrionics.
No dancing. No spinning of the ball. No secretive gyrations.
This blue-collar group celebrates the game the same way it plays it.
No nonsense.
"I've seen what other teams do when they score," said Riley, a running back and defensive back. "That's not our style."
Riley recites the team mantra as though he's played it over in his head time and time again.
"You score, you hand the ball to the ref and then you head back to the huddle for the extra point," said Riley, who has rushed for 554 yards and four scores. "It's that simple."
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It would be easy for the Panthers to cut loose after several nailbiting performances this season. Three of their wins have come by three points or less.
But that is not in this team's DNA.
"Don't make a big deal out of it," senior center and linebacker Jackson Pohlman said. "You score, then get back to business and try and do it again."
That credo fits the Panthers perfectly.
They are a gritty, down-to-earth team that is devoid of standouts.
Not one player can be found among in the top 50 in any area offensive category despite averaging 31.7 points per game.
"There's six different running backs that have played some pretty big roles at different points in the season," Zumwalt North veteran coach Joe Bacon said. "This year, it's been more a testament to the depth of our players and the number of guys we've had that have been willing to step into new roles."
Explained Riley, who is second on the team in rushing. "It's just a bunch of guys that like playing hard for each other."
Riley has watched in amazement as opponents celebrate touchdowns with all 11 players hugging and jumping up and down.
He feels that type of showmanship is counter productive.
"There's just no point in it," Riley said. "No point in getting a penalty. We like to show sportsmanship and show an example of what our team is about."
This version of the Panthers is a little different from past when standouts reigned at several offensive positions, like quarterback Cade Brister, who rushed for over 4,000 yards and passed for over 2,600 in his career. He accounted for 104 touchdowns and helped the Panthers to a second-place showing in Class 5 in 2016.
Zumwalt North is a run-first team and makes no bones about it.
"Other teams know that we're going to run," Riley said. "We just execute, push through and do our jobs and make it work."
Pohlman, a catcher on the baseball team, is one of the key front liners.
"Run-blocking is a lot of fun," Pohlman said. "I love that we can keep the rock on the ground and shove it down their throats."
The Panthers have 352 rushing attempts on 396 plays from scrimmage this season. The ground game, which accounts for 88.9 percent of the snaps, has amassed 33 touchdowns compared to just two scoring passes.
Senior quarterback Lucas Newcomb leads the way with 624 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. Jayden Burleson also has eight scores on 414 yards. Riley has rushed 71 times and is averaging 7.8 yards per carry.
Newcomb can throw the ball with 24 completions on 42 attempts. Aneas Smith and Cason Vollmer have caught seven passes each.
The Panthers have shined on defense all season long and appear to be rounding into form for a postseason run. They have held the opposition to 14 points or less in each of their past four games.
Linebacker Xavier Jackson leads the way with 82 tackles. Riley tops the team with 13 tackles for losses.
Zumwalt North has a rich postseason history, which sometimes goes unnoticed. It is 26-11 in the playoffs since 2013, including a runner-up finish to Vianney in 2016.
Overall, the Panthers are 116-28 (81 winning percentage) during a run of 12 successive winning campaigns. Their last losing year was a 4-6 mark in 2012.
Bacon is pleased at the progress his group has made and believes there is plenty more left in the tank.
And if North does reach another quarterfinal or semifinal round, don't look for much fanfare.
"We just do our jobs and play football," Pohlman said. "Nothing fancy, it's as simple as that."
Crunch time For Musketeers, Kahoks
Red Bud and Collinsville both sit at 4-4 heading into the final weekend of play on the Illinois side.
With a win in their regular-season finales on Friday, both will likely reach the playoffs for the third season in a row.
Red Bud will host East Alton-Wood River (2-6) with a chance to move on.
The Musketeers have battled through an injured-plagued season that saw them win four of their first six games before dropping back-to-back road contests at Wesclin and Chester.
"It's been an up-and-down season from game to game," Red Bud veteran coach Dave Lucht said. "But there's been plenty of good moments."
The Musketeers outscored unbeaten Breese Central 14-7 in the second half of a 48-21 loss in Week 3. They also dropped a 57-26 setback to Roxana, which reached the semifinal round last season.
Lucht feels the playoffs are essentially starting this weekend with a must-win contest.
"If we get out there and win those individual battles that they're all facing on every play, the win (will come)," Lucht said. "They execute and have fun, that'll give us a better chance."
Red Bud is in position to make the playoffs for the third year in a row for the first time since 2009-2011.
The Musketeers are coming off back-to-back 8-3 campaigns. They won their playoff opener each time.
Lucht is aware that if his team goes into postseason with a 5-4 mark, it will likely draw a 9-0 or 8-1 school in the opening round of Class 2A play.
"What's hurt this team the most is our (lack) of overall depth," Lucht said. "But once we get in, anything can happen."
Collinsville will be trying the reach the playoffs for the third year in a row for the first time school history.
The Kahoks might have their hands full with a season finale at Triad (7-1) on Friday, although they dropped a 36-35 decision to the Knights last season and won the two previous meetings.
East St. 不良研究所导航网址 welcomes football royalty
The Flyers (8-0) host IMG Academy, of Bradenton, Florida, at 7 p.m. Friday at Clyde C. Jordan Stadium.
IMG (5-1) began the season ranked third in the nation and has fallen to sixth in the latest rankings.
The Ascenders boast many players who are heading to NCAA Division I schools including interior offensive lineman Michael Carroll, who's committed to Alabama.
The offense also features University of Missouri commit Donovan Olugbode at receiver as well as quarterback Ty Hawkins, who's bound for SMU.
East St. 不良研究所导航网址 has outscored its opponents 326-59 this season and is looking for its 11th overall state championship next month. It reached the state title game each of last three seasons but has won just one crown.
The Flyers have captured three state titles since 2016 and veteran coach Darren Sunkett likes the way his group has played entering crunch time.
IMG beat East St. 不良研究所导航网址 in the lone meeting 49-8 on Oct. 22, 2021, in Jackson, Mississippi.