BY Mark Schmerling

 

Landrum’s head football coach Jason Farmer knows that the heat his players have felt this season is more a heat treatment that, even if they don’t realize it, is making them stronger in a highly competitive region.

 

Last week, Woodruff was able to claim the Region 1 2A title after topping the Cardinals. This evening the Cardinals face Pendleton, another very skilled region opponent, at Pendleton.

 

For all of their dominating-appearing record, Pendleton is vulnerable, having defeated Liberty, by only a touchdown last week. Landrum also defeated Liberty several weeks ago.

 

Cardinals’ head coach Jason Farmer, and his staff, are “still trying to get our kids to believe they can win.”

 

Farmer said he and his staff will put their players “in a position to win” this evening. To do that, Cardinals pass defenders must stick to the Bulldogs’ Malik Grate like fly paper. Malik recently signed with Wake Forest.

 

Grate will be a lot to handle, Farmer admitted.

 

When the ball isn’t directed at Grate, Pendleton has at least one quality running back to contain.

 

So, in fact does Landrum.

 

Last week, Woodruff was able to keep the Cardinals’ Anthony Anderson from breaking the game open.

 

Tonight could be vastly different.

 

“We’ve got to figure out how to get the ball in his hands,” Farmer remarked.

 

When the football has been in his hands, Anderson has rushed for 717 yards in just 79 carries, for an average of just over nine yards per try, and nine touchdowns. He’s also racked up 369 yards on catches, with four TDs.

 

With 16 underclassmen on his roster, Farmer knows that he Cardinals will eventually rack up plenty of wins.

 

“It’s a building process,” he admitted, also knowing that the Cardinals can win right now, if they believe in themselves and avoid costly turnovers.

 

Tonight’s opening kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., at Pendleton.

 

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