Lumberton doesn’t have much to worry about heading into the final week of the regular season.
The Panthers enter the game having locked up the No. 1 seed and region championship. However, their final opponent Mount Olive has much to play for on the line.
“We do have the region locked up,” Lumberton coach Zach Jones said. “We are trying to get our groove. I know we have gotten better in the last few games, but we are still not where we want to be. We want to go in and make sure we focus us on us and do what we have to do and make sure we are getting better.”
Lumberton also notably had a bye last week after the Panthers were forced to cancel their game against Faith Academy in Alabama.
“We had some guys that didn’t have any major injuries but had sprains and things like that, and it gave us a week to heal,” Jones said. “We did practice and went out and worked on us. We made sure that our timing stayed intact, and we worked on some fundamental things we needed to work on. But really, it gives us time to heal the bumps and bruises and hopefully get us ready to make a run for the playoffs.”
After getting off to an 0-3 start to the year, the Pirates have won five games in a row. For Mount Olive, its game against Lumberton is a win to get in to the playoffs scenario. If the Pirates defeat Lumberton, then Mount Olive would secure the No. 2 seed.
“Mount Olive is really talented,” Jones said. “Their backfield is really good. Their linemen have been playing for a couple of years. They have gotten better as the year has gone on because they shut down early because of COVID. They seem to have put everything together. Their two half backs and quarterback are really good. They are going to put everything on the line because they have to beat us to get in. It’s their senior night, and we know we are going to get their best shot. We have to be ready to rock and roll.”
In the last five games, Mount Olive has averaged 30 points per game on offense. The Pirates offense lives off its run game with running back Quandarius Hubbard, who has rushed fof 1,086 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 11.6 yards a carry.
Quarterback Marcus Baggett and running back Javeon Gordon also complement the run game and combine for 847 yards and nine touchdowns.
“They run the Wing-T and some shotgun where they direct snap it,” Jones said. “Hubbard is a really good player for them and has been the past couple of years. We have seen him since he was a freshman. He has gotten bigger and better. He is really fast, and we have to make sure that we contain him. Their other halfback is the same thing. I think both of those guys are really good players. They have got speed to take it to the house at any time. We have to sure we wrap up and tackle them.
“Their quarterback is a really good player. He does a really good job of running their offense, but he is a playmaker himself. Those are three guys that we have to be sure that wrap up and get them on the ground. They can take it to the house at any time.”
Defensively, the Pirates have allowed 17 points per game, while Mount Olive has held teams to 10 points per game in the last five weeks. Jones said that the key to the Pirates’ defense are linebackers Malichi Mickel and Hubbard, who also plays linebacker, as they have a combined 105 tackles between the duo.
“They run a 5-man front, but will also switch up and run a little bit of 4-man front according to formation,” Jones said. “Their linebacker (Mickel) does a really good job for them. He’s a real good tackler. Baggett also flips flops and will play linebacker too. Both of those guys are really good. We have to do a really good job and make sure we have to get a handle on them.”
