FC heads to LHS

And then there was one.
Frisco City kept its state playoff campaign alive Friday night, shutting out the 8-2 Ariton Purple Cats 20-0 in the opening round of the 1A playoffs in Frisco City.
Monroe County's other two playoff teams - Excel and J.U. Blacksher - were eliminated from competition, leaving Frisco City as the only team in the county still in contention for a shot at a state title.
Frisco City's win over Ariton was notable for more than a few reasons:
* Friday night's win was Frisco City's fifth shutout win of the season, which breaks the school record for most shutout wins in a single season. Prior to this season, the school record was three shutout wins in a single season. Seven different Frisco City teams (1997, 1993, 1992, 1988, 1977, 1971 and 1969) shared that record.
* Taking Friday night's 20-0 win into account, Frisco City has only given up 67 points in 11 games this season, another school record. The previous points allowed in a single season record was held by the 1985 Frisco City team, which gave up 100 points in 12 games, an average of 8.3 points per game.
* Friday night's win also secured Frisco City's first trip to the second round of the state playoffs since the 1998 season. In 1998, Frisco City, under head coach Rodney Dollar, advanced to the third round of the state playoffs for the second time in school history, only to lose 27-21 at Notasulga.
* Friday night's win improved Frisco City's all-time record in first-round playoff games to 9-8. Friday night's win also improved Frisco City's record at home this season to 5-0.
* Friday night's win left Frisco City with a 9-2 overall record, guaranteeing the school its sixth 9-win or better season since 1966.
* Friday night's win was Frisco City's second straight over Ariton, dating back to a 32-20 win over Ariton in the second round of the playoffs in 1992. Frisco City is 2-1 all-time against Ariton.
* Friday night's win improved head coach Troy Quinn's overall record at Frisco City to 21-10, a winning percentage of .677, moving him into third place on the school's all-time winningest coaches list. Coach Don Hand is tops on the list with a winning percentage of .850, and Rodney Dollar is second with a winning percentage of .694. Frisco City has had 15 head coaches since 1966.
This week, Frisco City will travel to Linden to take on the Linden Patriots, which presents an interesting match-up for the Whippets.
Linden enters tomorrow (Friday) night's game with an 8-3 overall record. Linden's losses came at the hands of three pretty decent teams - American Christian, Sweet Water and John Essex. American Christian and Sweet Water finished the regular season ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in Class 1A, and John Essex was good enough to qualify for the state playoffs.
Linden went 2-2 in home games this season and has gone 6-1 on the road. In 11 games this season, Linden is scoring 31.6 points per game and is giving up 16.1 points per game. Linden posted a 4-3 record against region opponents this season and is currently on a four-game winning streak.
As hard as it may be to believe, especially for two 1A schools just 73 miles apart, Frisco City and Linden have never met on the football field. Since the state playoff system began in 1966, Frisco City has posted a 2-6 record in second round games.
In the end, I look for Frisco City to get its ninth straight win of the season tomorrow night, especially if the Whippets can work out their kinks on offense. This should be a good, close game, but I think Frisco's defense will prove to be the difference in the game once again. Frisco City 16, Linden 6.