The Gosnell Pirates (2-2, 1-0) head into Friday’s big 3-4A conference matchup against the Rivercrest Colts (4-0, 1-0) hoping to continue their consecutive conference win streak intact. The Pirates are the reigning league champions and winners of 17 straight conference games. The Colts moved up to the 4A conference after winning the 3A State Championship and taking home the 3A-3 conference title.
Will the game determine this year’s 3-4A confernce champion?
“I mean it’s too early to say that,” Gosnell head coach Brandon Barbaree said. “You’ve got to take one game at a time. This is the biggest game because it is right now and right in front of us. I mean it’s a big game because it’s Rivercrest and it’s us. I’ve always said people ask me about Rivercrest, well now it’s a big week for me. It wasn’t a big game for me in July, it wasn’t a big week in August. Now it’s a big week because they’re right in front of us. We are both undefeated in conference. We are both conference champions from different conferences, and now they’re in our conference. They are going to try and take what they want from us and it is ours until they take it from us. So it is going to be ours at the end of the night if we play the way we’re supposed to.”
The Colts also changed head coaches during the offseason as former head coach Kelley Chandler stepped down a few weeks after winning the 3A State Championship game over the Junction City Dragons. Chandler’s assistant coach Johnny Fleming was then named the new head coach of the Colts.
Barbaree called Rivercrest a “tradition-rich school.”
“Coach [Kelley] Chandler, the former head coach, did an outstanding job and is a really great human being and he is a great football coach,” Barbaree said. “I thought that he really got that program going in the exact direction it needed to be. Coach [Johnny] Fleming has taken over and done a really good job.”
Barbaree said the Colts are incredibly athletic and are good football players. Colts senior quarterback Demilon Brown returns under center after winning the 3A State Championship in his junior season. Brown’s brother, Demoine, was a part of the Colts team who was crowned the 2010 State Champions. Colts running back Kentavious Robinson is also a great athlete and runs the ball well, according to Barbaree.
“Athleticism. They’ve got the [Demilon] Brown kid at quarterback. He’s won a state championship. His brother was a state championship quarterback before him. Outstanding athlete and probably the best athlete in the conference,” Barbaree said. “Kentavious Robinson. Heck of a runner and a heck of a football player. I mean they are not just good athletes but they’re good football players as well.”
The Colts line has caused problems for opponents all season. Barbaree explained that with two linemen being more than 300 pounds they can cause problems for most teams. They also are good football players and play hard, Barbaree said.
“They’re physical,” he said. “Stephen Range, he’s a three-year starter for them and plays guard for them and also plays defensive tackle. He is 315-320 pounds and he can move. Heck of a football player. Yes, he’ll give us problems just because he’s 315 pounds that can move. The Joseph Loven kid plays center for them. [He’s] 350 pounds, you can’t make a guy 350 pounds for a week to play them. So, they are going to outsize us. One of their best linemen, the Brooks kid, he plays offensive and defensive lineman for them. He’s a very physical kid. He made a bunch of plays against us last year. They’re just good football players and they play hard. You’ve got to respect that.”
Barbaree’s Pirates are known for their running backs and he said Friday night will be no different. However, senior quarterback Amarion “Mookie” Partee stepped up in throwing the ball last week against the Cave City Cavemen and senior receiver Bailey Fields also was a threat downfield last week.
“We are going to be who we are. We aren’t going to reinvent ourselves, ” Barbaree added. “‘Mookie’ [Amarion Partee] stepped up and made two big passes for us. He was three-for-four passing last week. Bailey Fields made some heck of catches. I think he is going to be a threat that we need out there. Then, of course, our runners, we are going to depend on those guys. Like I said we are going to be who we are. We aren’t going to reinvent ourself and we plan on running the ball and we are going to run at Rivercrest and see if they can stop it. If they can they’ll beat us. If they can’t then we have a shot at beating anybody.”
Everyone will be back and healthy against the Colts besides sophomore center Ty Ketchum.
“We’ve got everybody back. Except for Ty Ketchum right now,” Barbaree said. “CaDarius was out there practicing today. Chaz Talley, linebacker and fullback, was out there practicing today. I think we are getting as healthy as we can be at this point in the season. I think we are going to be as close to 100 as we can get. I’m excited about this week. I think these are the games that you really live for as a coach. You don’t know the x-factors of everything and I know our players are excited about it. We had a great Monday practice and I’m really looking forward to seeing our kids step up and play the way we are supposed to play.”