HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Heading into Friday, Huntsville High had dropped two straight and 12 of it's last 13 games to fellow 7A region 4 school Bob Jones.
But this time things were different as the Panthers took down the 8th ranked Patriots 28-24.
"It was real big for us, but like Coach said, we enjoyed it for 30 seconds and now we're focusing on the next team" says Carlin Long. "But it was real big for us, it was real big."
Carlin Long was a catalyst for the Huntsville offense; rushing for 197 yards and three touchdowns.
"I played with a Heisman Trophy winner at South Carolina and over the years been around him," says Coach Mark Fleetwood. "And, you know, he stacks up. He stacks up as a back that could be really good. He's got a lot of personal care about wanting to do well."
For his efforts, Long has been named the First Down Friday Night MVP of the Week which is brought to you by WHATABURGER. This is what the win over Bob Jones means to Carlin and Coach Mark Fleetwood.
"It was big because in the past we couldn't finish a game for nothing," says Long. "We would be up on a team all game then we wouldn't be able to finish in the fourth quarter."
"You don't ever want to feel comfortable with where you are," says Coach Mark Fleetwood. "You know, you want to use the idea that, hey, we're still not good enough and we got to even push harder than we are. But it gives you the the extra momentum there, the extra push there that, hey, you did win one close because we had lost a couple close here in the last two seasons, the week before and then last year we lost to Bob Jones and in James Clements by a total of three points."