Post by rkb on Jun 17, 2008 10:34:33 GMT -5
www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=274971&pub=1&div=Sports
MudCats getting set for their stretch run
6/17/2008 5:34:31 AM
Daily Journal
BY JOHN L. PITTS
Daily Journal
TUPELO -The Mississippi MudCats returned to work Monday morning after a bye week, with a clearer idea of what their playoff future holds.
With two games remaining in the regular season -both on the road -the MudCats (11-1) know they'll be facing division foe Columbus in a game at BancorpSouth Arena on Saturday, July 5.
Columbus -the only team to beat the MudCats in two seasons' worth of games at BCS Arena - secured its playoff berth with Sunday's 57-54 win at home against Huntington.
But MudCats head coach Brian Brents is determined to keep his team focused on what they need to accomplish before playoff time.
"We're not looking ahead to anything but our game this week at Augusta," Brents said. "We talked this morning about the situation we're facing and we're determined to give everything we have left in the games we have left to play.
"It's always tough to win on the road, but our guys are anxious right now to get to Augusta."
Saturday's game will be the third meeting of the season between the MudCats and the Augusta Colts (7-6), who lost 68-51 here on April 26 and 61-33 in Augusta on May 23.
Brents' team has won three in a row since a 53-48 loss to Columbus on May 17. Their last win was a surprising squeaker, 46-41 at winless Florida on June 9.
"We just got through looking at the film again, and there are some calls there that were hard to understand," Brents said. "We had two or three touchdowns called back."
A 'Cats fumble late in the game handed Florida a last chance to win from its own 16, but the Stingrays lost yardage on a rush and a penalty and threw four incompletions.
"In that situation, we know we have one of the best defenses in the league," Brents said. "We put it in their hands and they delivered for us again."
For the next two weeks, the MudCats will continue to rest some players while testing others who have been signed lately or, like defensive back Jonathan George, have been rehabbing injuries that have forced them to miss time.
"We feel like we were starting to peak at just the right time and we want to sustain that after the week off," Brents said. "We want to make sure we continue to play at that high level."
The MudCats' final regular-season game will be June 28 at Fayetteville, N.C.
Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 6/17/2008, section C , page 1
MudCats getting set for their stretch run
6/17/2008 5:34:31 AM
Daily Journal
BY JOHN L. PITTS
Daily Journal
TUPELO -The Mississippi MudCats returned to work Monday morning after a bye week, with a clearer idea of what their playoff future holds.
With two games remaining in the regular season -both on the road -the MudCats (11-1) know they'll be facing division foe Columbus in a game at BancorpSouth Arena on Saturday, July 5.
Columbus -the only team to beat the MudCats in two seasons' worth of games at BCS Arena - secured its playoff berth with Sunday's 57-54 win at home against Huntington.
But MudCats head coach Brian Brents is determined to keep his team focused on what they need to accomplish before playoff time.
"We're not looking ahead to anything but our game this week at Augusta," Brents said. "We talked this morning about the situation we're facing and we're determined to give everything we have left in the games we have left to play.
"It's always tough to win on the road, but our guys are anxious right now to get to Augusta."
Saturday's game will be the third meeting of the season between the MudCats and the Augusta Colts (7-6), who lost 68-51 here on April 26 and 61-33 in Augusta on May 23.
Brents' team has won three in a row since a 53-48 loss to Columbus on May 17. Their last win was a surprising squeaker, 46-41 at winless Florida on June 9.
"We just got through looking at the film again, and there are some calls there that were hard to understand," Brents said. "We had two or three touchdowns called back."
A 'Cats fumble late in the game handed Florida a last chance to win from its own 16, but the Stingrays lost yardage on a rush and a penalty and threw four incompletions.
"In that situation, we know we have one of the best defenses in the league," Brents said. "We put it in their hands and they delivered for us again."
For the next two weeks, the MudCats will continue to rest some players while testing others who have been signed lately or, like defensive back Jonathan George, have been rehabbing injuries that have forced them to miss time.
"We feel like we were starting to peak at just the right time and we want to sustain that after the week off," Brents said. "We want to make sure we continue to play at that high level."
The MudCats' final regular-season game will be June 28 at Fayetteville, N.C.
Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 6/17/2008, section C , page 1