Pinckneyville to host A-J in key matchup
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Pinckneyville High School football team fell to 3-2 last Friday after a 40-24 loss to Du Quoin.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Panthers entertain Anna-Jonesboro, 2-3, in a key game for both teams Friday, Oct. 2.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Game time is set for 7 p.m. The game will be aired on WIBH radio in Anna.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">"We're not real deep," Pinckneyville coach Todd Thomas said. "Du Quoin kind of wore us down."</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Both teams have to record wins to keep their playoff hopes alive.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">"Pinckneyville is in a situation where they have to keep winning to get in the playoffs," A-J coach Brett Detering said. "We both pretty much need to win the last four games for the playoffs.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">"We've got to regroup and put a good game together," said Detering, whose team has lost two games in a row.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The playoffs are determined by a system of winning records of opponents. Teams with 6-3 records can normally qualify and 5-4 records are often on the border. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Panther quarterback Clayton Houghland, 6-2, 210 pounds, was 11 of 15 passing in the loss to the Indians for 150 yards.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">"They've got a good quarterback and they've got some quality kids," Detering said. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Panthers rushed for 245 yards. Leading the backfield attack was junior Alex Howard, 5-11, 195 pounds, who rushed for 69 yards on 10 carries. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Senior Caulden Lazenby, 5-9, 165 pounds, had 16 yards on 4 carries. Senior Dalton Peradotto, 5-10, 170 pounds, is another top Pinckneyville running back. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The offensive line is built around returning all-conference selection junior Nick Cannon, 6-1, 245 pounds. Other top line candidates are seniors Andrew Kelly, 6-0, 235 pounds, Hunter Hicks, 6-4, 220 pounds, and Josh Lloyd, 6-0, 240 pounds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Defensive stalwarts are Cannon, seniors Alex Howard, 5-11, 205 pounds; Brian Kling, 5-11, 160 pounds and Lazenby and junior Jonathon Gulley, 5-11, 205 pounds, as well as freshman Chase Fulkerson, 5-10, 220 pounds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Both teams have beaten winless West Frankfort this season.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">"Our only common opponent has been West Frankfort," Detering said, who noted that Pinckneyville "won their first three ball games of the year.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">"You can only win one at a time. Our biggest concern is that we've got to take care of this one."</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">"We will be facing a typical Anna team," Thomas said. "They will play hard with a lot of grit. We'll have to limit our turnovers to beat them."</span></p>