Next: South Panola

Photo courtesy Keith Warren

I've heard of folks being saved in life ... you know ... finding something to believe in and have faith in. Well, on Friday night at Cougars Stadium as Northwest battled North-Half powerhouse Tupelo, I became a believer!

From kickoff to the final buzzer in overtime, the game with the Golden Wave was worth the price of admission ... and then some.

Hats off to Marcus Gibson and the defense. Gibson had taken heat all week prior to the game in the media and among the coffee-shop quarterbacks. But, after the Cougars pinned their ears back and gave Tupelo everything it could handle, Gibson and the rest of the Cougars 'D' exclaimed to all doubters, "How ya like me now?!"

Although the game was a sweet victory for all involved with the Northwest Rankin football program, the task at hand is not complete. Next up for the Cougars, the team that hasn't lost since 2002 in the state championship game -- the South Panola Tigers from Batesville.

As this week begins, and the coaching staff and players focus on moving one step closer to a state championship, I can't help but think of the New Orleans Saints from 2006. A team that was always under the radar and never given any respect. That year, a rookie by the name of Reggie Bush joined the team, and in one game, created a spark that would eventually turn into an NFC South Championship, and one game away from the SuperBowl.

Three words were spoken by Bush that motivated every player and coach on the New Orleans' staff to believe that anything is possible.

Break a Heart!

Let the nonbelievers and the doubters come into every game with our beloved Cougars with cockiness and disrespect ... I promise you they will leave with a broken heart!

The Cougars are embarking on a piece of history on Friday night ... let your voice be heard and support the young men who have made the 2008 season one that will never be forgotten! Help them give the Tigers 48 minutes of hell ... hit 'em hard, get back up, and hit 'em again!

Nothing is Impossible!

Impossible is Nothing!