Duncanville outlasted South Grand Prairie last week in what was a long defensive battle. The Panthers struggled in the first half but came out of the locker room scoring 17 unanswered points in a long fourth quarter which gave them the 20-16 win.

“For whatever reason, we just haven’t found the right mixture of pre-game organization in terms of getting the kids ready to play the first half,” head coach Jeff Dicus said. “We have to play four quarters, it hasn’t come yet so hopefully this Friday night can be the night we put it together.”

While the Panthers seem to be having trouble in the first half, they have proven they can come back from behind and win the game. This seems to be the key for why the team is doing well in the season so far.

“Our kids understand what’s at stake, we still have a chance of being district champs,” Dicus said.

The Panthers will need that resilience to come out on top against the Wolves. Timberview won their last two games in a row and come in with some momentum right now. Earlier this week, the team also suffered a loss to their coaching staff. Their Offensive Coordinator, Cody McCarty, passed away due to an apparent heart attack. There is no doubt that the Wolves will be playing Friday, with him in mind and looking for their third straight win. Coach Dicus said the loss is not only on the minds of those in Mansfield but their team and staff as well going into the game.

“Any time you lose a friend and a coach that is in your profession, a colleague, it’s a sad day,” Dicus said. “It’s going to be a tough game for them and they have an extra incentive but we just have to take care of what we have to do.”

Cedar Hill and Mansfield will also be facing each other just across town. One of those two teams will come out with their first loss in district play. If Duncanville wins this game, they are in a very good position to fight for the district championship.