ALBANY, GA -- The Albany Panthers and Columbus Lions SIFL rivalry dates back to the inception of the league two years ago, and there's never a loss for words when these two teams get together.
However, with one more win over Columbus standing between Albany and its first berth in the SIFL Championship game, the Panthers are keeping its off-the-field roar to a minimum. Panthers coach Lucious Davis admits the talk hurt his team against Columbus in the past.
“I think the last couple of games we probably went overboard with a lot of the trash-talking,” Davis said. “I think we just need to shut up and play now.”
In Saturday’s first round playoff game, the Albany team did all of its talking on the field. The defense limited Erie to its lowest point total of the year at 43 points, and forced Erie quarterback Adam DiMichele into seven interceptions.
Even the normally vocal Panthers linebacker Larry Edwards is holding off on the pre-game banter for this Eastern Conference Championship game.
“We’re focused on what we have to get done…we played a great ballgame Saturday, and now we have to move forward and make that push towards that championship,” Edwards said.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWFXL