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Panthers battleBy John BohnenkampThe Hawk EyeThe Mount Pleasant High School football team has one less thing to worry about goinginto its home game against Ottumwa Friday.The Panthers, tied with Ottumwa for first place in the Southeast Seven Conference, clinched a Class 3A playoff berth with a win over Fairfield last week. Now, Mount Pleasant can concentrate on winning the conference title.“We can focus on Ottumwa now instead of worrying about the playoffs,” Mount Pleasant Jensen coach Bob Jensen said. “The seniors know this won’t be their last football game. All we have to worry about is winning the conference.”The Panthers (6-1 overall, 4-0 conference) struggled early in the season with their offense. Mount Pleasant averaged only 11 points in its first four games, but in the last three games have averaged 34 points per game.“Our defense kept us in the game the first few games,” Jensen said. “But lately, our offense has been coming around. Our defense is still strong, but our offense has gotten better.”Ottumwa, ranked seventh in Class 4A, lost'Dogs for titleits first game of the season to Pella in double overtime. Since then, the Bulldogs have won seven consecutive games.“We still haven’t put together a full 48minutes,” Ottumwa coach Tom Kopatich said.“The key for the season for us is that the players have worked very hard to achieve their goals. Our goal now is to win the conference and make the playoffs.”The Bulldogs lost fullback Todd Whittom earlier in the season to a knee injury.Mount Pleasant has either won or shared the conference title the last three seasons. But history may be against the Panthers.• • •SEVERAL AREA teams will be searching for playoff berths Friday.In the SEI Superconference North Division, Columbus will be looking for a Class 1A playoff berth in its game at home against Louisa Muscatine, while W’ACO will be playing for a Class A playoff spot in a home game against Lone Tree. Pekin, tied with Columbus for the division lead, plays at home against Highland.Mediapolis has an outside shot at berth in the Class 2A playoffs if the Bulldogs win at Wapello.
Newspaper Details
Burlington Hawk Eye
Burlington, Iowa, US
Thu, Oct 24, 1991
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
State H.
IA, USA 20 Aug 2022
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