Amanda Elzy High School begins its postseason trek on Friday, facing Noxubee County in Macon in the first round of the North 3A playoffs.
After last week’s 32-16 loss to Humphreys County, the Panthers finished the regular season 5-5 overall and 2-2 in Region 3 games, earning the No. 3 seed in the playoff standings.
Elzy’s success this year brought it to the playoffs for the first time under head coach Morris Bush’s tutelage. Before the 2022 season, Bush was only able to coach a full season once in the three years he was at the helm, due to COVID-19 canceling fall sports in 2020. In 2021, the Panthers finished with a 2-8 overall record and missed the playoffs.
This year, Bush’s crew flipped the script and finished at .500.
“The team is excited about playing in the playoffs,” Bush said. “I told the guys this is a whole new season, and we are going into it 0-0 with a new game plan.”
Elzy’s opponent on Friday is a familiar one as the Panthers faced Noxubee earlier this year, falling 40-6 to the Tigers. It’s a familiar matchup for Bush, but he thinks playing a team twice in one year doesn’t always make winning easier the second time.
“I don’t think there is a real advantage for us. We know what they are accustomed to doing, but they also know what we like to do,” Bush said. “It’s a gift and a curse really.”
Noxubee finished its season 6-4 overall and 3-1 in Region 4 play, earning the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. The Tigers pose a real challenge for Elzy, and Bush detailed his game plan for Friday.
“They have a dynamic quarterback, and will sometimes switch in another quarterback for some Wildcat formations. We just have to control the ball, and come out hard and fast,” Bush said. “We just can’t get down early in the game. That’s what happened earlier in the season when we faced them, and we can’t let that happen again.”
Friday’s winner will face either Independence or Booneville in the second round next Friday.
-Contact Jared Conerly at 662-581-7237 or jconerly@gwcommonwealth.com.
