Gators eyeing postseason berth

By Brandon Davis
Published in Sports on November 6, 2015 1:48 PM

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SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek has to be mentally ready when Carolina 1-A Conference border rival North Duplin invades "The Swamp."

Each team looks to secure a playoff bid.

"We're trying to get some guys back healthy from some injuries," said Spring Creek head coach Aaron Sanders, whose team is 2-8 and still in search of its first league win of the season.

"Our approach is where it needs to be. I think anytime you play a team that is as physical as those two teams, obviously, your body's going to need some priority. We're taking those precautions, but maybe mentally, we're where we need to be."

And Sanders knows the Rebels (3-7, 1-4 Carolina) are eager to extend their season. He says his team must play well defensively against a tricky North Duplin offense.

"I feel like their (Rebels) offense is bigger than where it starts at, and (it's) based on a lot of deception," he said. "They got running backs that run the ball really hard."

North Duplin won its first league game last week -- a 14-7 overtime triumph over Hobbton. One week earlier, the Rebels dropped a double-digit loss to Princeton.

Rebels head coach Hugh Martin is solely focused on this week's game. He's not concerned about playoff seedings.

"We're really trying to focus on what's coming up," Martin said. "After that, we'll figure it out from there -- when they (N.C. High School Athletic Association) get the numbers in and where we end up. I know we'll be on the road."

Martin expects a challenge from the Gators.

"We have the same mentality every week. We got to open up space and make tackles," he said. "Offensively, we continue to keep working on what we are doing and try to correct mistakes from (last) Friday night."