Running with the Devils

The Saratoga High School football team led against Hulett until the last four minutes.

“We ran into a senior heavy team,” Head Football Coach Logan Wright said. “We gave it up late and it was our game to win, but that senior experience might have made the difference.”

Wright said the Panthers came out fast and scored 18 points to the Devils’ 14 points.

“We did a lot of things right,” Coach Wright said. “But in the last quarter we had a tough moment.”

Wright is referring to how the Panthers had just scored with seven seconds left. The score was 31-20 and the team was feeling good about going into the locker room.

“So, we kick off after I put in the starting defense and somehow they returned it for a touchdown,” Wright said. “So, instead of going into the half 31-20, we were ahead by five points. I had even felt we were wearing them down and then they did that.”

He said during halftime he told the team not to get dispirited because they were still up.

The players took it to heart and played well during the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Devils 21-14.

“So we won the 3rd quarter, but the 4th quarter we had some things go against us,” Wright said. “Saying that, we had some good looks out there, too.”

He said the problem in the 4th quarter was a bit of a breakdown in defense.

“We missed so many tackles,” Wright said. “In truth, I think it was that the most physical team came out on top and that was Hulett. ”

He said when a team like the Devils get into a position of a close game, the experience can come through versus a team still jelling.

“We have the leadership and talent to have won that game,” Wright said. “We were ahead by nine points with four minutes left and then they scored. They forced us into a three and out and blocked our punt, picking it up and going into the end zone for a touchdown.”

He said those four plays had the Devils score twice.

Hulett took the lead at that juncture.

“We made mistakes, but we can learn from them,” Wright said. “One thing I have to say about these players, I never question this Saratoga football team heart, because of their competitiveness, their desire to win and how they stick together.”

Wright said he will concentrate practices on special teams and defense.

“Offensively we are just rolling, but you have to get stops too,” Wright said. “Two weeks in a row we had a kickback returned for a touchdown. We have to stop that.”

He said the Panthers let the Devils get to many opportunities to score.

“As great as our offense is right now, we couldn’t overcome,” Wright said. “At the very end, we had opportunities to win it, but we didn’t pull it off.”

Wright was positive about the game although it resulted in a loss.

“We won three and a half quarters,” Wright said. “So I know we can fix it.”

He is looking forward to the next game.

“I am proud we have such a tough schedule,” Wright said. “We are going to make it through because our boys are tough enough and the experience we are getting makes us a solid team. We had a close win before, now we had close loss. It is all part of the football experience.”

The next scheduled game is on Oct. 4 against Guernsey-Sunrise at Guernsey.