NEWBERRY 24- Wingate 15

[Hailscarlet&gray]

NEWBERRY was very lucky today! Wingate beat our butts up front on both sides of the ball. Looking at the stats, you would think they blew us out. If it had not been for Mario Anderson's 190 yards rushing, we get beat. If our defensive and offensive lines play like that next week against Mars Hill, we will get blown out. Glad we got the win, but very disappointed in our performance!

Hail to the Scarlet & Gray!

[pm2011]

I don't know. Newberry did exactly what they needed to do to get the win.

Held Bulldogs to only 9 points most of the day and then a garbage time TD.

Defense also produced a blocked FG for a TD and a few INTs to give them short field advantages.

Newberry took advantage of the limited time they held the ball and kept Wingate from doing anything significant in all the time they had it.

Hard to say that Wingate beat them up when apart from a garbage time TD, scored with less than a minute left, Newberry held them to 9 points.

[MrCorso]

I don't know. Newberry did exactly what they needed to do to get the win.

Held Bulldogs to only 9 points most of the day and then a garbage time TD.

Defense also produced a blocked FG for a TD and a few INTs to give them short field advantages.

Newberry took advantage of the limited time they held the ball and kept Wingate from doing anything significant in all the time they had it.

Hard to say that Wingate beat them up when apart from a garbage time TD, scored with less than a minute left, Newberry held them to 9 points.

I had to watch the FloSports replay before I could comment on this one.

After watching it, the OP’s breakdown of the game confuses me as well. Newberry’s defense bent but they did not break. No TD’s until 1 minute left in the game. The offense looked stagnant here and there, but they made plays when they needed to, and Anderson had another big day. Nothing lucky about it. We can say the FG block for a TD was “luck” but a wise man once told me “luck is when preparation meets opportunity”. Even without that TD, they win.

Congrats to Newberry. If their offense continues to roll and their defense does enough, they could be a tough out in the playoffs should they win Saturday.

[Hailscarlet&gray]

Last year Newberry was a legit playoff contender because they had a good defense that averaged giving up less than 300 yards a game. This year, the defense is not bad by any strech of the imagination, but it is not as stiff and attacking like it was last year. This year, we give up a lot of yards through the air as our defensive backs are rarely in position to make a play on the ball. Running backs seem to have little trouble making it to the second level on our defense. I lost count of the number of times our defense gave up a 3rd and long with blown coverages or giving receivers too much cushion. I think this years team, though they are a pretty good team, will be lucky if they make the playoffs and will not go past the first round. If I'm honest, I just don't see NEWBERRY beating Mars Hill as the Lion's do have a strong defensive team.

Don't get me wrong, I love Todd Knight and the rest of the coaching staff, as I have seen many, many years of weak football teams at NEWBERRY. Todd Knight and staff has made NEWBERRY into a conference champion contender. I just don't think this years team is quite as good as we were last year.

Hail to the Scarlet and Gray!

[MrCorso]

Last year Newberry was a legit playoff contender because they had a good defense that averaged giving up less than 300 yards a game. This year, the defense is not bad by any strech of the imagination, but it is not as stiff and attacking like it was last year. This year, we give up a lot of yards through the air as our defensive backs are rarely in position to make a play on the ball. Running backs seem to have little trouble making it to the second level on our defense. I lost count of the number of times our defense gave up a 3rd and long with blown coverages or giving receivers too much cushion. I think this years team, though they are a pretty good team, will be lucky if they make the playoffs and will not go past the first round. If I'm honest, I just don't see NEWBERRY beating Mars Hill as the Lion's do have a strong defensive team.

Don't get me wrong, I love Todd Knight and the rest of the coaching staff, as I have seen many, many years of weak football teams at NEWBERRY. Todd Knight and staff has made NEWBERRY into a conference champion contender. I just don't think this years team is quite as good as we were last year.

Hail to the Scarlet and Gray!

I will say, you are very critical of your team. By looking at your past posts, they’ve proven you, me, and most of this board wrong a good bit of times. Regardless of the bad losses, we can all agree that it seems we’re dealing with a team that plays down or up to the level of their competitors, and based on the LR and Wingate game, I have more faith in your boys than you do!

Should be a good ol fashioned slobber knocker this Saturday. If my daughter didn’t have a cheer competition, I would make the trip! Good luck to both teams.

Keep in mind, both teams lost to a much improved Limestone team, and Newberry is much more battle tested the last few weeks than Mars Hill is! That’s one thing you all have going for you.