PERRY, Ga. — Two years, two brutal playoff losses for the Perry Panthers -- both happening on their home turf.
In 2021, it was a 39-25 loss to Cedartown.
And then again last fall, it was a 14-7 loss to Wayne County.
But ask this year's group about that history, and it is certainly not happening again.
“We talk about it a lot,” senior wide receiver Dakarai Anderson said. “Knowing games that we shouldn't have lost, games we should have won by a lot, where we beat ourselves.”
Could this be the best version of the Panthers yet?
“Yes, yes I can say that,” Anderson said.
Anderson should know, because he's seen it all.
While the Panthers may have lost ten starters on defense and their quarterback, there's a new QB in town: Colter Ginn transfers in from Peach County.
“He's a good guy, has a good personality, and that also carries onto the field,” Anderson said. “He has a strong arm, probably one of the strongest arms I’ve ever seen.”
Ginn said he's getting used to playing for a team, but he has found it to be a welcoming community.
“First week in, I was with all the receivers, throwing routes, getting used to them,” Ginn said. “They're very welcoming, so it was great.”
Moving schools is never easy unless you're Colter.
“Really in the game, I’m not worried about what everybody says in the stands,” Ginn said. “I'm just worried about what my coach says. I'm blocking out all the negativity and keeping it positive.”
And making it even easier? The guy he gets to throw to this season.
“Dude, it's amazing. Just the explosiveness and quickness that he has,” Ginn said. “You just throw it up and he'll go get it.”
“It's been really great connecting with him, getting to know him, with him coming from a different school with him fitting in with us,” Anderson said. “Now we're rockin’ and rollin.’”
Oh, you thought it was just Dakarai?
“I told Colter, ‘if they are out there on the field for us, then we think they can catch it or run it,’” head coach Kevin Smith said. “You ain't looking for one person. Spread the ball around.”
The connection is there. The skill is certainly there. The comfort level now?
“It's a ten,” Ginn said. “I'm loving it. I feel like we've got so much skill on the field, it's crazy.”
Because maybe the more things change, the more they stay the same at the Panther Pit.
“You're not going to see much difference,” Smith said. “We've got a lot of receivers back from last year. When you see us, you're going to think, it's a new year, doing the same stuff.”
The Panthers open up their 2023 season on Aug. 25 at home against Houston County.