Despite a tough loss to Lapeer West Oct. 7, Coach Ron Gill and the Brandon varsity football team still have hopes of making the state playoffs.
The Panthers earned a 7-6 win against the visiting Blackhawks in a Flint Metro League contest. With the win, West improved to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in the league, good for a second-place tie.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks fell to 3-4 overall and 2-3 in the league, leaving them in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Flint Metro.
Lapeer West scored their touchdown on the first drive of the game, while Brandon scored their only points on a nine-yard touchdown run by Josh Ellett in the fourth quarter. Brandon missed their point-after attempt.
Gill said despite the loss, the Blackhawks still have to take care of business against Fenton in their scheduled Oct. 14 contest at Brandon.
‘It was a painful, painful loss, but we have to rebound come next week and be ready to play,? he said.
The Tigers are currently 1-6 overall and 1-4 in the league after a 42-7 loss to Holly Oct. 7. A win against Fenton would give Brandon their fourth win of the season, their most since going 9-2 in 2000.
‘They’re a well-coached team,? Gill said of Fenton. ‘They’ve lost some tough games. At this point, we have to take care of executing and controlling the line of scrimmage. Fenton will come expecting to beat us, and we’ll have to be ready to play.?
The Blackhawks? final game of the regular season is Oct. 21, when they host Flint Metro League newcomer Clio. The Mustangs are currently 0-7 overall and 0-5 in league play after a 42-0 loss to Linden Oct. 7.
Gill said even though teams normally need six wins to qualify for the state playoffs, there is still hope for the Blackhawks to make the playoffs. He said 22 teams with five-win seasons last year qualified for the playoffs.
‘Our goal is to finish 5-4 and we’ll be on the bubble,? he said. ‘Lord willing, we’ll take care of what we can control and we’ll see what happens.?