Dr. Phillips football rolls East Ridge, ready for playoff run

The Dr. Phillips Panthers finished their 2024 regular season campaign with a convincing 47-0 win over Class 7A, District 9 rivals East Ridge High. The win claims the district championship for the Panthers and moves them to a 9-1 record in the regular season. 

"I liked the energy and I liked the effort tonight," coach Rodney Wells said after his team's win. "The guys who came out against Celebration in our last district game, they weren't ready to play. So, we challenged them tonight to get in and get out with this win and hopefully injury free. They did that and had a good mindset tonight."

Beyond ending the regular season on a high note, the Panthers are excited to return to the playoffs next week at home and reap the benefits of their years of development together. 

"It's been a long time coming," Wells said. "We've been having to travel in the playoffs. Last year, we had to go to Olympia, we had to go to Tampa Plant, so it's nice to host. And it's been a long time since we had a home-field advantage, per se, but it's good because the guys earned it. What's really special is this group has been together since the ninth grade. We developed these guys; they've been through some tough years, tough losses, and they just got gradually better and better every year. They didn't quit, they didn't transfer and they always believed in themselves and in the program. It's great when you see the kids and the coaches do it organically. We didn't have 10 or 15 new guys come in. We've had these guys since day one."

What would make this season even more special for Wells and his core of seniors is to not just host some playoff games but to make a championship-run, and if you ask Wells, they have what it takes.

"Physically, yes, we definitely have enough to win a championship," Wells said. "But we have to get some guys back; we're banged up at running back and at receiver. So, we have to get healthy and we don't have a lot of time to do it. Health is one of the big parts of making a run, and you have to be lucky sometimes, too, in the playoffs, so hopefully, we can get those breaks."