The Clarke Central High School varsity football team plays a home game against Johnson High School on Oct. 23. The Gladiators pulled off a 55-3 win against JHS, and head varsity football coach David Perno hopes his team will play similarly when they enter the playoffs on Nov. 10. “We’re matching up pretty good with the majority of the teams in our classification (for the state AAAAA playoffs). We just have to be more consistent with scoring points on an offensive standpoint,” Perno said. “If we get that figured out, we’re going to be tough to deal with.” Photo by Krista Shumaker
The Clarke Central High School varsity football team will enter the first round of the state AAAAA playoffs on Nov. 10.
On Nov. 10, the Clarke Central High School varsity football team will play Arabia Mountain High School in the first round of the state AAAAA playoffs. The game will take place at Godfrey Stadium in Decatur, Georgia at 7:30 p.m.
CCHS head varsity football coach David Perno believes his team has not played its best this season, but has the potential to perform well in the playoffs.
“(The season has) been a little up and down, but all in all I think we’re in good shape for the playoffs,” Perno said. “We like our draw and I think the good news is we have not played our best but I think there’s more in this team and we still have a lot of season left if we play well.”
The Gladiators have qualified for the state playoffs for three consecutive years, but Perno hopes the team will go farther in the draw this year.
“Last year we got beat in the first round, and the year before we got to the second round and got beat,” Perno said. “We’re in position to do some good with this team because this team is capable — as capable as our last couple years, and I think it’s a favorable draw.”
Offensive lineman Zachary Donegan, a CCHS senior, is optimistic about the team’s chances in its first game of the playoffs.
“Based on what we’ve seen, (JHS is) a really good football team and no one gets into the playoffs by accident. Everyone in the playoffs doesn’t want to go home, so they’re gonna give it all they have and so will we,” Donegan said. “That being said, with all respect to them, if we play to our ability, we believe we can handle business and come away with a win.”
According to Perno, the team has a few major weaknesses that need to be addressed before entering the playoffs.
“We haven’t scored a lot of points, but hopefully if we can get some points on the board and our kicking game continues to be as good as it has been, then I think we have a chance to be tough in the playoffs,” Perno said.
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