Pine Prairie hoping to continue momentum found at Montgomery; face Port Barre

Anyone who was able to see the Pine Prairie take on the Montgomery Tigers last Wednesday night got a good look at what Panther football could be this season.
Even though the Pine Prairie fell short in their comeback attempt, the Panthers proved to the world of high school football that they are to be taken seriously in 2020.
What Pine Prairie showed to themselves, their coaches and their fans was a determination to play a whole football game. After falling behind to Montgomery 40-18 heading into halftime, the Panthers roared out of the locker room and cut the lead down to 40-32 late in the fourth quarter.
On top of that, Pine Prairie had the ball deep inside Tiger territory, threatening to tie the game up with about four minutes left in the game. For all Panther fans in attendance, it was great to see the effort and determination put forth by their young squad.
Although Pine Prairie head coach David Michael Carrell was not there to witness it himself because of a medical issue, the first year mentor knows that his team has heart.
“These players come to practice everyday ready to go,” stated Carrell. “It does not surprise me they showed that type of effort against Montgomery. Our team consists of mainly sophomores and freshmen, but it is the juniors and seniors that have shown the leadership necessary to get this team heading in the right direction. They will not back down, no matter what is thrown their way.”
Now, Pine Prairie must carry the momentum earned against Montgomery to the next level, as they host the Port Barre Red Devils tomorrow night. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
Port Barre is 0-1 on the season after a 52-0 loss to Class 1A powerhouse Opelousas Catholic. The Red Devils’ week two game against Mamou was cancelled because of Hurricane Delta.
“Port Barre has a ton of tradition and some very talented players,” said Carrell. “Our job this week is to clean up the mistakes made in the first game and try to play as close to perfect as possible. If we do that, we have a very good chance of picking up a win.”