Here are 6 unsung heroes playing key roles during Shelby football’s playoff run

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Win or lose, Shelby football players had no plan to mill around following their Sept.1 matchup with rival Crest. In the wake of a 53-38 loss to the Chargers dropping the Golden Lions to 0-3 on the season, the decision to retreat into their locker room in the game’s aftermath was made all the easier.

At the time considered one of his team’s darkest moments of the 2023 high school football campaign, Shelby coach Mike Wilbanks assured better days were ahead for those “trusting the process.”

“We go into the locker room and players are sad because we didn’t beat Crest, our biggest rival,” Wilbanks said. “But all I asked of them was to trust the process. I said, ‘Guys, we’re going to be a good football team. You might not see it, and we’re not there yet but keep plugging away and good things will start to happen.’

“Play for your family, play for your community and most importantly, play for each other.”

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Shelby has not lost since, riding an 11-game winning streak into Friday’s NCHSAA 2A West final at Reidsville. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

“Statistically, we were in each of the three games we lost; the Kings Mountain game, the A.C. Reynolds game and even the Crest game,” Wilbanks said. “Yards, third-down conversion and turnover margin, we were not faring terribly at all. We were just shooting ourselves in the foot at the wrong time.

“But this is a testament to our team, particularly our seniors and their ability to galvanize this group. It’s filtered to our underclassmen, who feel like they have something to prove.”

While the Golden Lions have no shortage of starpower, particularly on the offensive…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/6-unsung-heroes-playing-key-090520300.html

Author : The Star

Publish date : 2023-11-30 09:05:20

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