Parkers Chapel set to host Magnet Cove
One of the more underrated rivalries in 2A football resumes this week after a three-year hiatus.
Parkers Chapel and Magnet Cove have played some classics through the years, and there could be more entertainment in store tonight when the schools meet for the first time since 2017.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. from Victor Nipper Stadium.
Three years ago, the Trojans overcame a 41-29 deficit with six minutes to play to stun the Panthers 43-41 with Caleb Jacobs throwing five touchdown passes in the win, including two to Canon Morgan to tie the game before Jacobs’ run on the 2-point conversion gave Parkers Chapel the lead for good.
The Trojans hold a 5-3 edge in the series with wins in the last three meetings.
Of the eight games played, five have been decided by 13 points or less.
The game is also a homecoming of sorts for former PC assistant coach Hunter Vincent, who is now with the Panthers.
“This will be his first game back to PC, so I know some of our kids are excited to see him,” Parkers Chapel coach Elliot Jacobs said.
Both schools enter on down notes.
The Trojans (1-2) fell at Prescott 51-0 last week, while the Panthers (2-1) were downed by Glen Rose 35-6.
“You have two teams that are trying to find an identity of what they can do, and they’re fighting to get back on the winning track,” Jacobs said. “Both teams had good years last year, and both have kind of struggled this year, so we expect it to be a good game. The way we played last week left a bad taste in our mouth. We’ve got stuff we have to prove, so we’re excited to get to play somebody.”
Although this will be his first game as a head coach in the rivalry, Jacobs is well-versed in its history.
“We’ve played one another in the past for awhile, and it’s always been an exciting game,” Jacobs said. “A few years ago, we went up to Magnet Cove and put up a lot of numbers offensively and gave up a lot of points defensively.”
After last week’s showing at Prescott, Jacobs is hoping for a much better performance from his team, but the Panthers, who are ranked No. 6 in this week’s 2A rankings by Hootens.com, will provide a stern challenge.
“What we talked about was the process of becoming a better team, and we didn’t get better that night,” Jacobs said. “That’s what we talked about as a team Monday that we can’t do. It doesn’t matter who we are playing. We have to control what we can control and not let things around us affect us. We did that last Friday and we can’t do it this Friday.”
When asked what he wanted to see from his
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team against the Panthers, Jacobs said there were two things.
“To play as hard as they can and then playing every play like it’s your last. If we can do that, we feel we can be successful,” Jacobs said.
If the Trojans are to extend their winning streak in the series, Jacobs said there were two factors that will be critical to their success.
“Defensively, limit the big plays. We need to make them sustain drives, have 10- to 12-play drives. If we can do that we feel we can be successful,” Jacobs said.
“Offensively for us is get the ball to our playmakers in space. We feel that at certain positions, we have better athletes than they do, and we’ve got to exploit that.”