By Mike Moore Photo by Ryan Kerwin, JTV Sports
Staff Writer
Parma — There are some obvious particulars to focus on here.
First, this is a must win in every sense of the term.
Secondly, there can be no looking past anyone, not at this stage, not with this much on the line.
Thirdly, well, it’s a must win, which needs repeating.
“I’m pretty confident we are not in with five wins,” Western football coach Dave Mifsud said Wednesday night while speaking of this weekend’s tilt against Dexter. “I mean, there’s a chance, I guess, but I don’t think we’re in with only five wins.”
Fourthly, this is a must win.
Ok, enough of that, but the point is clear.
The Panthers got what they needed last weekend in a lopsided victory over Northwest, and on Friday need one more win to go to 6-3 and secure an automatic playoff berth for the second time in three years.
Simple enough, until you look at the opponent, an 0-8 Dexter team, and consider what else Mifsud had to say.
“These are still teenagers,” he explained. “It’s tough getting kids not to look past someone like this, but it’s something we have to do.”
Dexter’s struggles on the gridiron border on ridiculous, as the program has gone 0-9 three years in a row and hasn’t won a game (40 consecutive losses) since Sept. 20, 2013.
“We’re at the point where we know we can compete at a high level, and now it’s on us to continue that and compete at the highest level,” Mifsud said. “The challenge is taking care of ourselves, and not worrying about anyone else.”
The Panthers are no stranger to Dexter, either, having won 57-14 in last year’s meeting and 28-0 in 2015.
“The key for us is executing,” Mifsud said. “We’ve had some mistakes the past few weeks, some that hurt us and some that didn’t. It’d be real nice if we could get off to a quick start. There’s going to be some tension going in, and if we can do somethings to loosen up, it could help us get on a roll.”
From 1961 through 2014, the Panthers never made the postseason.
That changed in 2015 when the team went 6-4.
Now the Panthers have a chance to make it twice in three years with one more win.
“This is where we want to be,” Mifsud said. “The three-year plan, the five-year plan, this is what we want to be playing for. Another playoff appearance would really solidify the state of this program. This is a great opportunity.”
Mike Moore is a play-by-play commentator and Sports Writer for JTV Sports.
He’s also a Realtor with Real Estate One, specializing with buyers and sellers throughout Michigan, from the Jackson area to metro Detroit. You can reach him at mmoore@realestateone.com or by calling (313) 770-6365 with any inquiries.
