Despite rude ending, Matt Lowe draws satisfaction from Powell's 'magic season'

All the mouthwash and breath mints in Powell won’t get the bitter taste of defeat from Matt Lowe’s tongue.

Time is the only antidote for this affliction.

Confidence in tight games   

The Powell High School football coach, in the second year of his second tour of duty at the Panthers’ helm, had his team on course for a state title for 13 weeks (including a regular-season bye). The Panthers navigated through their first 12 tests without a blemish, including four victories by less than a touchdown.

“Those tight games come down to confidence and the belief the players have in each other,” Lowe said. “It comes from having 20 senior leaders and a lot of underclassmen who are willing to look up to them.

“When we were winning those (tight) games, our confidence was at a high level.”

One of those narrow victories was 21-20 over West in overtime.

In Week 14, the Rebels got their revenge, 31-14 over Powell, in the third round of the playoffs.

“When you’re playing a good team, you have to win the line of scrimmage,” said Lowe. “We did that the first time. The second time in the playoffs, when we’re playing championship football, we didn’t.”

Heroes for 14 weeks   

While the viral video memory from the season will be Lowe’s fundamentally sound baseball slide to remain in the sideline area while chasing running back Jordan Brown against Halls, he will savor the experience along with the community more than anything.

“I appreciate that we moved forward and continued to grow,” Lowe said. “We played together and we played for the community in this magical ride.

“Every home game, our stands were packed. We had a great crowd presence on the road, sometimes better than the home team. Our kids got to be heroes for 13 or 14 weeks.”

Undefeated regular seasons are rare, but not unheard of under Lowe. During his first go-round in 2010, Powell won 11 straight before falling in the second round of the playoffs. In 2011, the 14-1 Panthers reached the Class 5A state championship game, losing to Henry County, 17-14.

“Every year is different,” Lowe said. “Every team is different, its personality. The relationship we develop with the kids every year is what makes each team special.”

Beyond the numbers   

It’s too easy to point to guys like senior quarterback Walker Trusley (2,342 passing yards; 603 rushing; 27 touchdown passes; 8 TD runs) and senior running back Bailor Hughes (894 rushing yards, 9 TDs), along with freshman receiver Adarius Redmond (678 receiving yards) and senior receiver Tyler Kirkess (668 receiving yards) as key components of the team.

When Lowe does his evaluation, he looks beyond the numbers.

Sophomores (linebacker) Cannon Lusby and (defensive tackle) Dakota Ogle stood out in his mind. When injuries became an issue, they both rose from obscurity.

“Those two probably grew up more than anyone,” Lowe said. “A young guy earns his opportunity in practice. Then, they compete for varsity experience. We’ll put them in a Friday night game. How they respond in their first few snaps has a lot to do with the opportunity they’ll get.”

Lusby stepped in for the injured Eli Owens. When Owens was healthy, coaches found a way to keep Lusby in the lineup. He finished with 70 tackles, second on the team behind senior Colton Webb (99 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 9 sacks).

Ogle allowed for flexibility in the rotation on the defensive line.

“Right now, (the loss) is still pretty hard to get over,” Lowe said. “Once we get into conditioning in January and February, then get into spring practice, the energy will come back.

“We lost about 10 or 11 (senior) starters. That means we’ll have 11 or so starters back. It gives us a good base to start from.”