By Les Dixon / Sports Editor

In last year’s first round matchup, the Whitley County Colonels downed the South Laurel Cardinals 48-0. This season will feature another matchup between the teams, but South Laurel coach Larry Welch hopes to see a different outcome.

“We tell our kids that we want to keep getting better each and every week, and this week is no different,” said Welch. “Since our first game we have gotten better, and we played real well last week (against Middlesboro). We want to come out this week, and improve, and hopefully come away with the win.”

If the Cardinals were to win this week, it would be one of the big upsets of the postseason, considering the Colonels have been on a tear as of late, winning by a combined score of 105-22 over the past two weeks.

Whitley County is no stranger to stiff competition this season, taking on some of the best teams in the state, particularly the mountains. The Colonels hope their strong schedule and continuing improvement will help this postseason.

“The plan behind making a tough schedule was so we will be ready for the playoffs,” said Colonel coach Jim Black. “When you make the playoffs, every game is against a good opponent. Everyone is fighting to win the state championship. We hope that when we get in a tough situation, we will be able to handle it because we have been there before.”

One of the reasons the Colonels have been so successful this season is because of their phenomenal running attack, featuring five backs with over 500 yards rushing, and another with over 300 yards on the ground.

“They come at you from all directions, and we have to make sure we are where we are supposed to be at all times,” said Welch. “Their fullback puts a dent in the defense, and then they will give the ball to someone else. We have to do a good job at making sure we have our assignments, and don’t give up the big play.”

The Cardinals will feature a nice ground-oriented attack, as well, featuring running back Tyler Vaughn, who has more than 1,300 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. South Laurel will give the ball to Vaughn early and often, which is a concern for the Colonels.

“They have a good running back, that can make plays for them,” said Black. “We have to do a good job cutting him off, and not letting him get big gains on us. We just have to play good football on defense, and make sure we tackle well.”

A win on Friday would mean different things for both teams. For the Cardinals, a win would be one of the biggest in the school’s recent history, not making it past the first round of the playoffs since 2005. For the Colonels, a win would be just one more win on their road to getting back to the regional title, a goal they set at the beginning of the year.

“A win would be a big deal for our program,” said Welch. “Our kids have worked hard, and they have gotten better each and every week. We are focused, and we will be ready to play on Friday. A win would be good for our boys, and they really deserve it.”

“We have not thought about the second round because we are focused on getting ready for South Laurel,” said Black. “We don’t overlook anyone. When you start overlooking people, you find yourself on the short end of the scoreboard. We set objectives and goals every year, and we want to reach those, but we are still taking it one game at a time. We have to come out this Friday and take care of business.”

As both teams look to get a first round win, they also look forward to having a big following for the opening round of the playoffs.

“We usually have a good crowd, and we would like to see people come out for this one,” said Welch. “The kids enjoy it, and that is what matters.”

“We always want to have a good crowd at the games. That is one reason you want to have a home playoff game,” said Black. “The school is doing some things to get the students out, and we appreciate that. Our players feed off the energy of the crowd, and we want to have a good outing this Friday.”