Franklin football coach previews Bath playoff game

Franklin, Virginia – The Bath County Chargers seek their first football playoff victory since 2009 when they travel to Franklin Friday evening to challenge the Broncos in a first-round contest.

Both teams have multiple state title game appearances in the last decade. Bath County won the crown in 2001 and returned to the title game in 2003.

The Broncos won their first state championship in Coach Darren Parker’s first year as head coach in 2004 and won it again four years later.

Preparing for Friday night’s game against Bath County, Parker says regular season records are meaningless.

“It’s going to be a great football game,” he said. “I mean, Coach Fields does a great job with his team. He has a well-disciplined team. They run the ball effectively. They throw the ball, when they have to, effectively. Defensively, they are a sound team. We’re looking forward to playing them. It’s playoff time. You throw records out the window. Right now, everybody who’s in the playoffs is 0-0.”

The coach says both teams know how to increase the intensity for playoff football.

“I mean – you have to turn it up,” he said. “The thing about it is – in the regular season, you lose, you play next week. In the playoffs, you lose, you play next year. That’s a big difference. You have to play every down like it’s your last down because it could possibly be your last down. That’s what we tell our kids all during the season and we’ve been in the playoffs the last eight years. So, they’re very familiar with playoff football. The know what to expect, as well as bath County. They’ve had a great program and they’ve been in the playoffs, too. So, you look at two teams coming into the playoffs – they’re not in uncharted territory. They’re familiar with playoffs. So, it’s going to be a great game.”

Parker says two things will decide which team wins.

I think the keys – not just in our game, but in any game,” he said. “It comes down to two things, we feel: who executes best in all three phases of the game and wants it the most. That’s the bottom line. That’s what it’s going to come down to – who executes the game plan to perfection and who wants it the most. That’s what it’s going to come down to and it’s going to be a great game. You have two well-respected teams coming into this game on Friday night and both teams are eager to play. So, we’re just looking forward to it.”

Kickoff is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. at Franklin High School in Franklin, Virginia. The game will be broadcast live on WCHG-FM and WVLS-FM.