Sports

’Cats turn focus inward

• The South Georgia Wildcats no longer need help to win the South Division — and they aren’t looking around for any.

Paul Dehner Jr.

ALBANY — The playoff picture took a fortuitous bounce for the South Georgia Wildcats this past weekend as a Florida Firecats loss put the Wildcats in control of their own destiny to win the South Division and earn the No. 2 seed in the af2’s American Conference playoffs.

There were no streamers or party hats laying around coach Derek Stingley’s office Monday, however.

In fact, the thought of celebrating such an occasion seemed to irritate the Wildcats coach.

“I can’t let where anybody else is at worry me,” Stingley said. “You are saying, we can win the South, OK, that’s fine. If part of us winning to put up the numbers we got in the win-loss record wins us a division championship, fine, great. I want to win (an af2) championship.”

The road to the title has merged into a clear path. Now, Stingley and the Wildcats (10-4) are allowed the right to focus solely on themselves. A win Saturday against the Peoria Pirates followed by another win in the season finale at the Tennessee Valley Vipers locks up the No. 2 seed behind Wilkes-Barre-Scranton (12-2).

That guarantees at least two home playoff games, should South Georgia advance.

Again, Stingley isn’t planning a parade just yet.

He realizes as quickly as the Wildcats season shifted at the beginning of their current five-game win streak, the winds can once again change if his team is caught looking ahead.

“I guess the scenario is to win two,” he said. “But I am just concerned about winning one. Say, we were to have a losing streak, what is the story next? Slump into the playoffs? Limp into the playoffs?”

Even in a perfect world, there are no guarantees. If the playoffs began today, South Georgia would host seventh seeded Manchester (7-7), a team that has won six of its last seven, including an upset of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

“Look at the eight teams jockeying for position in the playoffs, one through eight are all tough,” Stingley said. “You say, hey, you have to play No. 7, heck, that is a tough team, be careful what you wish for. We want to win our next two; we want to play at home. But whatever happens at this point, we can’t control who we play. Let’s just get ready to try to put on a good performance.”

CLEAN BILL

Buchie Ibeh limped off before halftime. Andrico Hines hobbled in and out of the huddle. Antwone Savage needed to sit down due to a sore back during his postgame interview.

Without a doubt, the Wildcats were banged up after Saturday’s physical win against Oklahoma City. Yet, arriving at practice Tuesday, every member of the team dressed and participated.

It was a bit of a surprise to Stingley, who even feigned concern after the game that players might miss some time.

Chief among those who thankfully appear to be back on track is Hines. The Wildcats quarterback sat out the Daytona Beach game on June 30 and showed some residual effects of an ankle injury last Saturday.

But entering this weekend’s contest at Peoria, he says he is as close to 100 percent as you can be in Week 17.

“I am great, ready to go, ready to finish the season strong,” Hines said. “I am not hurting, I am not sore, nothing besides regular football stuff.”

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

As South Georgia’s offense has continued to jell while averaging 60 points a game during the current five-game win streak, defenses are shaking up their looks in order to slow the Wildcats down.

“We have seen everything,” receiver P.J. Berry said.

Much of the man coverage that teams attempted during the first half of the season has faded as South Georgia’s athletic receivers torched opposing corners.

While most teams have switched to a zone coverage, it has come in all shapes and sizes.

“Last game against Oklahoma, they were moving all around,” Berry said. “They would have a corner tight on Buchie and the safety came down. They would flash then all rotate. It was crazy. Coach was getting mad saying ‘Don’t worry about it, Andrico is supposed to read that.’ But I am over there like, ‘Is this hot route or what?’ ”

The zone keeps the Wildcats from breaking off deep passes for scores, but doesn’t stop the efficiency, according to Hines.

“It slows us down a little bit,” he said. “Instead of scoring in one or two plays, we will just score in five or six.”