Gamecocks look to keep playoff hopes alive on the road

The New Brockton Gamecocks (3-5, 2-3) are back on the road again this week as they travel to county rival – and Class 2A, Region 3 foe – Zion Chapel Rebels (4-4, 2-4) this Friday, Oct. 25 as both teams battle for the final playoff spot in the region.

New Brockton currently sits in the fourth place spot in Region 3 but both Zion Chapel and Samson are right behind them nipping at their heels. After falling to Highland Home last week, every week becomes a “must win” for New Brockton.

“I told (the players) this morning that this is a playoff mentality from here on out,” New Brockton coach Zack Holmes said. “We can’t lose. If we lose, it’s over. You can’t overlook anybody and this is a rivalry game being in the same county system.”

Before current Zion Chapel coach Randy Bryant arrived, the Rebels had won just seven total games from 2013-2016. In Bryant’s first year Zion Chapel won two games, but since that time the Rebels went 5-5 last season and are currently 4-4.

“Coach Bryant does a great job over there,” Holmes said. “I know they’re going to have a great game plan. They do a great job of planning and scheming each week.

“They’re try to take advantage of our mistakes and be very disciplined. Randy has done an outstanding job. We’ve known each other since before I got here and he’s a great football coach. We’re going to be in for a dog fight and we have to get after it (to win).”

Holmes said that the game plan for Zion Chapel remain the same as it is every week.

“We have to stop the run and run the football and play our brand of football and execute,” Holmes emphasized. “I think our focus will be good and the maturity level (of the team) has been growing constantly. I’m not concerned about that.”

On the offensive side of that game plan is senior running back Kyan Horne who became the first Gamecock running back to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season since both Clay Kelley and Jahari Brown did it in 2016. Horne has rushed for 1,003 yards and 10 touchdowns so far this season.

On the defensive side, defensive linemen Brandon McCoy and Josh Cardwell have practically set up shop and lived in opposing backfields this year. McCoy has 44 tackles, 23 tackles-for-loss and 5.5 sacks, while Cardwell has totaled 37 tackles, 10.5 tackles-for-loss and four sacks.

If New Brockton is able to defeat Zion Chapel, then next week’s Halloween showdown with Samson could end up decided the last playoff spot in Region 3.