Kennedy: 'We're our own worst enemy'

By Rex Kirts

Two words are creeping into Kirk Kennedy's conversations with increasing frequency. "Inconsistency" and "frustrating."
He'll watch the Panthers do things right one time but not the next. It's puzzling, and it's keeping the Panthers from winning football games.
The on again-off again play surfaced at Martinsville again Friday night as South (0-2) fell, 42-28. "We're our own worst enemy," Kennedy said. "There are times we play well and other times we don't. At times we look bi-polar."
The assistant coaches said the Panthere are gettng out-physicalled, but Kennedy doesn't like to believe in such business. He believes proper technique and hard play can overcome more physical ability by opponents.
THERE ARE TIMES, he said, when the Panthers can do what they set out to do. Then they'll backslide. "So our biggest problem is mental," the first-year South coach said. "It's frustrating. We're on the verge of doing things and then not do it."
His solution is to keep on trucking, to get better in practice. That's a wise option since Conference Indiana play starts next week and occupies every Friday till the playoffs.
Kennedy sees enough positives to know there can be a turnaround.
"We're not hapless," he said. "Not terrible. We fight and get back in the game and then have a letdown."
He made a few lineup changes against Martinsville
On offense sophomore Matt Henderson started at cornerback in place of senior Adam Wylie, and sophomore Nolan Rogers started at fullback ahead of seniors Derek Murphy Jon Campbell. On defense, Seniors Joey Todd and Cameron Hogue switched places on the defensive line, Todd going to tackle and Hogue to end. Sophomore Johnathan Winters started in place of Campbell at outside linebacker with Campbell replacing senior Ben Farmer at inside linebacker.
Henderson has looked sharp at corner. In Tuesday practice he stripped a receiver, reaching in to pull the ball away and head for a touchdown.
"WE AREN'T MAKING wholesale changes. Just trying things," Kennedy said.
Martinsville was a nightmare because the Panthers got off to another bad start. They trailed 14-0 and had run only one play. They rallied, but unlike the season opener against Bedford North Lawrence they couldn't cut into Martinsville's advantage.
Quarterback Michael Bower ran for 106 yards and one TD and passed to Lucas Franz for another. Senior tailback Keith Bunton ran for 72 yards and a touchdown and returned a kickoff 70 yards for another TD. Junior Drew Barlow was a perfect 4-for-4 on PAT kicks and is now 7-for-7 after two games.
Martinsville ripped South with several long plays. The Panther defense gave up for 296 yards on the ground and 147 in the air for a total of 443 to South's 252.
"Bower and Bunton played well at times, although Bunton had a fumble," Kennedy said. "The offensive line played well, at times."
South hosts Franklin Central next Friday. The Flashes are 1-1 after losing to Decatur Central, 29-20, and beating Indianapolis Roncalli, 10-7.