Post by 50yardfan on Jul 1, 2011 10:23:09 GMT -5
John Harris and Antwonis Cutts achieved success while playing high school ball in Americus, and now they hope to help lead the Panthers to a championship at the pro level in Saturday’s SIFL title game in Albany.
www.albanyherald.com/sports/headlines/SIFL_CHAMPIONSHIP_God_bless_Americus_124833789.html
AMERICUS — Ten years ago, John Harris helped Americus High win its seventh state championship.
On Saturday, the receiver hopes to aid the Albany Panthers to their first Southern Indoor Football League title when they take on the Louisiana Swashbucklers at 7:30 p.m. at the Albany Civic Center.
“It’s just crazy; I look at it like it’s God,” said Harris of his football path in life. “I’m playing with the Panthers again. I’m wearing No. 4 again. It reminds me of high school all over again. I’m playing for a championship again. It’s like a dream come true.”
Harris set the state record for receiving yards in a season with 1,581 when Americus beat Washington-Wilkes for the Class AA championship in 2000. He was All-State in 2000-01, and his record stood until 2007.
But after two years of junior college football at Northwest Mississippi Community College and stints in the Canadian Football League and with the former Macon Knights of the af2, Harris was out of football for four years until joining the Panthers last year.
Now, he and another former Panther receiver, Antwontis Cutts, hope to bring home the SIFL Championship after falling in the semifinals last year.
“There ain’t no tomorrow; this is it,” Harris said Thursday.
Harris has recorded 90 catches for 771 yards and 18 TDs this season, while Cutts has 79 receptions for 932 yards and 20 TDs. They, along with Albany native and former Westover star Antwone Savage, have carried the Panthers to a 12-2 record.
The Panthers beat the Swashbucklers, 30-27, on March 19 in the season opener after trailing 27-7 at the half.
But don’t expect this game to be anything like that one, Cutts said.
“This is going to be a whole different game,” said Cutts, who graduated from Americus-Sumter in 2007 and went on to play for Fort Valley State. “This is the championship game. We’re going to leave it all on the line, and this is way bigger than the first game we played them.”
Both players said this year’s Panthers team is basically the same as last year’s — except for one big difference.
“We’re taking things more seriously,” Harris said. “It’s more mental now. You always have that bad taste in your mouth (after you lose like we did last year). We just believe in our teammates, and we’re going to play hard.”
Added Cutts: “We’re more hungry. We knew last year we deserved to play in the championship. Last year, I think we had a better team overall, but this year we’re more together. We’re closer. We were hurting last year sitting at home and watching the other team playing. We don’t want that same feeling.”
The Panthers beat their rival, the Columbus Lions, 75-61, to reach the final. Columbus handed the Panthers both their losses this season, and Harris said the two losses helped them become better down the stretch.
Harris, 29, said a lot of players contemplated not returning this season because they were older than many of the members of the team, like Cutts, who is 22. But if the Panthers can pull out the win on Saturday, he said the hard work will be worth it.
“I had a four-year layoff and missed out on a lot of football,” Harris said. “A lot of people, even myself, got to thinking our football careers were over. But I think I’ve got at least three to four years left because I train hard and keep my body right.
“My football career has had ups and downs since college. You work so hard to get to this point to play in the championship game.
“It’s like a big burden will be off my back.”
Looking Ahead
WHO: Louisiana Swashbucklers (10-4) at Albany Panthers (12-2).
WHAT: SIFL Championship game.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: Albany Civic Center.
TICKETS: $10 in advance; $15 at door.
LIVE UPDATES: Log onto twitter.com/AlbHeraldSports.
www.albanyherald.com/sports/headlines/SIFL_CHAMPIONSHIP_God_bless_Americus_124833789.html
AMERICUS — Ten years ago, John Harris helped Americus High win its seventh state championship.
On Saturday, the receiver hopes to aid the Albany Panthers to their first Southern Indoor Football League title when they take on the Louisiana Swashbucklers at 7:30 p.m. at the Albany Civic Center.
“It’s just crazy; I look at it like it’s God,” said Harris of his football path in life. “I’m playing with the Panthers again. I’m wearing No. 4 again. It reminds me of high school all over again. I’m playing for a championship again. It’s like a dream come true.”
Harris set the state record for receiving yards in a season with 1,581 when Americus beat Washington-Wilkes for the Class AA championship in 2000. He was All-State in 2000-01, and his record stood until 2007.
But after two years of junior college football at Northwest Mississippi Community College and stints in the Canadian Football League and with the former Macon Knights of the af2, Harris was out of football for four years until joining the Panthers last year.
Now, he and another former Panther receiver, Antwontis Cutts, hope to bring home the SIFL Championship after falling in the semifinals last year.
“There ain’t no tomorrow; this is it,” Harris said Thursday.
Harris has recorded 90 catches for 771 yards and 18 TDs this season, while Cutts has 79 receptions for 932 yards and 20 TDs. They, along with Albany native and former Westover star Antwone Savage, have carried the Panthers to a 12-2 record.
The Panthers beat the Swashbucklers, 30-27, on March 19 in the season opener after trailing 27-7 at the half.
But don’t expect this game to be anything like that one, Cutts said.
“This is going to be a whole different game,” said Cutts, who graduated from Americus-Sumter in 2007 and went on to play for Fort Valley State. “This is the championship game. We’re going to leave it all on the line, and this is way bigger than the first game we played them.”
Both players said this year’s Panthers team is basically the same as last year’s — except for one big difference.
“We’re taking things more seriously,” Harris said. “It’s more mental now. You always have that bad taste in your mouth (after you lose like we did last year). We just believe in our teammates, and we’re going to play hard.”
Added Cutts: “We’re more hungry. We knew last year we deserved to play in the championship. Last year, I think we had a better team overall, but this year we’re more together. We’re closer. We were hurting last year sitting at home and watching the other team playing. We don’t want that same feeling.”
The Panthers beat their rival, the Columbus Lions, 75-61, to reach the final. Columbus handed the Panthers both their losses this season, and Harris said the two losses helped them become better down the stretch.
Harris, 29, said a lot of players contemplated not returning this season because they were older than many of the members of the team, like Cutts, who is 22. But if the Panthers can pull out the win on Saturday, he said the hard work will be worth it.
“I had a four-year layoff and missed out on a lot of football,” Harris said. “A lot of people, even myself, got to thinking our football careers were over. But I think I’ve got at least three to four years left because I train hard and keep my body right.
“My football career has had ups and downs since college. You work so hard to get to this point to play in the championship game.
“It’s like a big burden will be off my back.”
Looking Ahead
WHO: Louisiana Swashbucklers (10-4) at Albany Panthers (12-2).
WHAT: SIFL Championship game.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: Albany Civic Center.
TICKETS: $10 in advance; $15 at door.
LIVE UPDATES: Log onto twitter.com/AlbHeraldSports.