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Mustangs will have rematch with Pisgah in state playoffs
Usually this time of year high school football coaches are scrambling around trying to find film of first-round playoff opponents.
That’s not the case this year for Smoky Mountain Coach Dale Galloway.
“I don’t have to worry about that, and I don’t have to worry about a lot of travel,” he said.
All Galloway has to do to prepare for this week’s opponent is pull out the film from last Friday’s game against Pisgah.
The Mustangs (6-5) and Bears (8-3) will meet for the second straight week when the Western Athletic Conference rivals square off Friday in Canton to open the state 2-AA playoffs. Kickoff time is 7:30 p.m.
“This will be a first,” Galloway said of playing a team back to back.
It’s something he’s never done as a player, assistant coach or head coach.
What will the Mustangs have to do different to turn around last week’s 51-30 home loss?
“I think we’ve got to limit the big play,” he said. “We didn’t limit it Friday night. We had back-to-back special teams plays that changed the momentum of the game. We don’t want to get into a scoring contest with anyone, but we felt we were doing a good job staying in a scoring contest with them.”
The Mustangs were down 30-24 early in the fourth quarter when the special teams plays Galloway eluded to occurred. The Bears returned a kickoff for a touchdown, recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and scored on the next play.
“Momentum swings and big plays usually tell the tale this time of year,” he said. “I felt we were a lot more competitive than 21 points.”
Galloway noted the team moved the ball well all night but sometimes had problems tackling.
“We’ve got to find a way to get our shoulder into people and take them down,” he said.
Galloway took a unique perspective on playing a team in consecutive weeks.
“If you consider a game, you play a first half then make adjustments and execute your adjustments,” he said. “This is like halftime between games. That we can look at the film is the biggest difference.”
Galloway said he hopes the Mustangs will have a big crowd of supporters as they did for the game here last Friday.
“A lot is at stake,” he said. “We haven’t won a playoff game in quite some time. Here’s our opportunity, and we want to do our best.”
SM has not won a playoff game since 1992.
If the Mustangs win, they would be on the road next week at Ashe County or play South Iredell at home. Those teams play Friday at Ashe.
Galloway was head coach at Ashe before coming here in 2006. South Iredell eliminated SM in the first round last year.
Last week’s win gave Pisgah a 16-3 advantage in the series. The Mustangs last won in 2000. The wrong year was listed for SM last victory in last week’s Herald.
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