Plagued by injuries and playing against a strong rushing defense, the Miami Palmetto Panthers lost their season opener Friday against Columbus High School. Head coach Larry Coffey believes that our team didn’t play up to its full potential, but reminds us that we played with out two key players.

“In mid-game we were handicapped. Two of our top offensive linemen were injured, so we had to put two untested sophomores in their spots, spots that they didn’t have much experience in,” Coffey said.

Initially, the team was just missing one offensive lineman who was in the hospital with pneumonia, but Palmetto lost another lineman when Michael Nettles, #79, broke his ankle during the game.

“We had to move a lot of players around, and play guys who didn’t have much experience. The injured offensive line really affected our rushing game. We couldn’t move the ball against Columbus,” Coffey said.

Despite their loss Matt Herget, a senior linebacker, remains optimistic about the game. Herget believes their performance offensively resulted in their defeat.

“We could have won if we had not turned over the ball so many times. We made a lot of mental errors, and it cost us,” Herget said.

Palmetto gave up three fumbles, two of which were returned for touchdowns in the first quarter, and Sean Cook, Palmetto’s quarterback, threw two interceptions. The turnovers were a major catalyst in Columbus’s offensive drives. Tevin Hughes, a senior defensive-back and wide receiver, agrees with Herget.

“We need to work on our coverage and reads for next game. Mainly though, we need to stay focused and keep our heads in the game,” Hughes said.

Coach Coffey and the Panthers are anticipating the next game against Miami High. Coffey plans to fill the gaps in the offensive line, hoping it will reestablish our team’s previous unity.

“We have a lot of potential. The way we played in the Palm Beach classic this year was phenomenal, and I think that’s going to be an indicator of games to come. We just need to reestablish a healthy team,” Coffey said.