Marengo High’s season ends at Maplesville

MAPLESVILLE – Despite a 62-0 loss to perennial 1A title condender Maplesville in the first round of the AHSAA playoffs Friday night, Marengo High School head coach Dredrick Bell said his team has plenty to appreciate about the 2013 campaign.

The Panthers finished the regular season at 5-5, a significant step forward from the previous year’s 0-10 mark.

“I think we’ve grown throughout the season,” said Marengo head coach Dredrick Bell. “It takes patience to become a winning program, and it takes effort in the off-season weight room and in the classroom. It’s not going to happen overnight, but our kids are starting to buy in. Plus, we’re losing only five seniors and we’ve got a good young quarterback in Cordarius Pritchett. We’ve got a bright future.”

Bell said his team could have attained even more success in 2013. “I feel we left two or three games on the table, but I don’t question how God works,” the coach said. “Sometimes He does things to keep us grounded, and I feel we learned from every experience this season.”

Bell said he is giving his players a week off, “and then we’re going to hit the weight room.”