Panthers playing with confidence

Four games into the 2020 Siloam Springs football season, here’s what I know.

• I know that there’s been

a change in attitude, culture and identity with the Panthers since Brandon Craig took over as head coach. Rather than playing hard and hoping to win each week, the Siloam Springs Panthers now expect to win. That much has been evident in the 2020 season. It’s a swagger and confidence that is clearly visible when the Panthers take the field. It doesn’t mean the Panthers always win, but folks they expect to every time out.

• I know this Panthers’ offense is the best I have seen since I started covering the team in 2010, and it’s not even close.

• The homecoming win this

past Friday against Van Buren was as exciting a win as the Panthers have had in my time covering. But as fun as the ending — Hunter Talley’s twopoint conversion run — was, the Panthers had ample opportunity to put the game away. A couple of lost scoring chances in the third quarter and fourth helped keep Van Buren within striking distance. Hopefully it’s something the team can learn from and build off.

• I know the schedule doesn’t

get any easier this week. Siloam Springs, ranked No. 5 in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Super Six, travels to No. 4 Benton for a tough 6A-West Conference road game against last season’s Class 6A runnerup. Then the next week it’s Greenwood at home and then Lake Hamilton on the road and so on. Beyond that, games against Mountain Home, Little Rock Parkview and Russellville will be extremely challenging.

• I know my heart hurts every time I see a football game get canceled by covid-19, and it particularly hits home when it’s games from teams in Northwest Arkansas or the 6AWest Conference. Last week a highly anticipated matchup between No. 3 Little Rock Parkview and No. 1 Greenwood was called off because of covid-19. Greenwood was able to play a nonconference game against Bentonville West instead.

This week, as of this writing, has seen this week’s game between Parkview and No. 2 Lake Hamilton, called off as well. So far — knock on wood — the pandemic hasn’t hit Siloam Springs yet, but folks it could hit anywhere at anytime. Do your part, follow the governor’s mask protocols, social distance when possible.

— Graham Thomas is the managing editor for the Herald-Leader. He can be reached at gthomas@nwadg.com. The opinions expressed are those of the author.