RISON - It was just about three weeks ago that Rison head coach Caleb Carmikle knew his team was at a breaking point, as the Wildcats stood winless after seven outings, and at that point, certainly unaware of what their future held in store. Most definitely, a home playoff game almost seemed a dim possibility.
However, after winning three straight conference games to end the regular season, including a huge upset victory over Barton, the Wildcats are at home for a first round playoff game this Friday, when they host the Jessieville Lions in an opening round battle at George Walker Field of Champions. Kickoff time is scheduled for 7 o'clock.
"The kids earned this chance by finishing third in the conference (6-3A), and I hope they are excited to not only be in the playoffs, but to get to play at home in the first round," Carmikle said Monday. "I believe the kids have started playing with confidence. That's what I believe has helped them turn things around." Jessieville also finished its season by winning three straight games after suffering a narrow 16-12 loss to Centerpoint, which captured third place in the 4-3A Conference behind Glen Rose and Bismarck. The Lions, the number four seed out of 4-3A, stand 6-4 on the season.
Rison and Jessieville have one common opponent this season. Back on Sept. 1, the Wildcats lost to Bismarck, 49-12, and a few weeks later, the Lions were defeated by Bismarck, 46-6. This will be the second meeting ever between Rison and Jessieville, the Lions visiting Rison just two years ago in a first round playoff contest, the Wildcats coming out on top by a surprising 48-7 score. So, sophomores on those two teams in 2021 are now seniors as they meet again in a playoff opener.
"I can tell you that they (Jessieville) are going to have a big advantage in size," Carmikle pointed out. "Not only are their linemen big, but even their skill players have good size. Offensively, they are a lot like us. They use o...
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