The Corrigan-Camden Bulldogs return to action Friday night to host the Normangee Panthers in another important district matchup.
After an open week, the Bulldogs will look to continue their recent success and build momentum heading into the final two games of the regular season.
Corrigan enters Friday with a 3-1 district record, having won four of its last five games. The Bulldogs are coming off a hard-fought 21-18 road victory over Iola, where two crucial defensive stops late in the fourth quarter helped secure the win.
“We were banged up a bit, so we did need the open week,” said Bulldog head coach Brett Ratliff. “It was not an off week, so we still got our reps with different defensive schemes to help us through the end of the season and the playoffs. Also, with some passing concepts.”
For Corrigan, the season has been a story of improvement after a difficult start. The Bulldogs struggled in their opening loss to Hardin and later suffered another lopsided defeat against a talented Shelbyville team.
However, the young Bulldog squad has shown significant progress on both sides of the ball since entering district competition.
Corrigan earned a convincing 34-7 road victory over Alto to close non-district play, followed by an impressive 21-10 win against Centerville in the district opener.
Although the Bulldogs stumbled in a 31-21 road loss to Leon, they bounced back with consecutive victories over Groveton and Iola.
Much of Corrigan’s offensive success has come from senior running back Derrick Reagie, who continues to provide production on the ground and as a receiving target.
Sophomore quarterback Mikey Murphy has also become more comfortable in the passing game, developing a connection with sophomore receiver Emmanuel Foreman. The two combined for the go-ahead touchdown on a fourth-and-long play late in the third quarter against Iola.
Defensively, the Bulldogs have created more turnovers and are making timely stops, although penalties and allowing explosive plays remain a few concerns throughout the season.
Normangee has also experienced an up-and-down season, carrying a 3-5 record with a 1-3 mark in district play. The Panthers snapped a five-game losing streak with an 18-15 road victory over Groveton earlier this month, but have struggled to find consistency against district opponents.
The Panthers are led by first-year head coach Chris Sexton, who previously served as offensive coordinator at Smithville. Sexton inherited a program that finished 2-8 overall and winless in district competition last season, with several returning starters expected to help the rebuilding effort.
Corrigan has the advantage in the most recent meeting between the two programs, defeating Normangee 26-6 on the road last October. The Bulldogs controlled much of that contest defensively and will look to repeat that success at home Friday.
With the playoffs approaching, Corrigan will need to continue improving its execution and consistency against a Normangee team fighting for position in the district standings.
Key offensive weapons for Normangee include junior quarterback Kaleb Brooks and his brother, junior Kelvin Brooks.
“Normangee has tremendously improved. I think Coach Sexton is doing a great job utilizing their athleticism to get the ball in open space and be explosive,” Ratliff said.
Friday will also be the Bulldogs’ final home game of the regular season before traveling to Lovelady for the district finale next week.
Kickoff between Corrigan and Normangee is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Bulldog Stadium in Corrigan.
