Monarchs ready for playoffs

By PATRICK ENZOR
Item Assistant Sports Editor
penzor@theitem.com

The way Robbie Briggs sees it, his Manning Monarchs enter the 2A state playoffs battle tested and experienced.

By the time Manning tees off against Mullins today in the first round at Ramsey Stadium, Briggs figures to have already seen it all this season.

“You need to go out there and have fun,” said Briggs, whose team is a No. 2 seed after finishing 7-3 overall and 4-1 in Region VII. “Anxiety is just going to produce poor results. I don’t think our kids have poor anxiety anymore. I feel we can make a big run because we’ve stuck together.”

The Monarchs have had to deal with the death of a teammate and 20-plus kids missing games over a three-week stretch this season — which culminated in a 55-3 loss at Timberland.

“Looking back, you kind of appreciate the fact that we went through a lot of adversity,” said Briggs. “It wasn’t fun at the time, but it made us stronger in the end. The last three weeks the kids understand what it feels like to be kicked in the teeth. I said then that the Timberland game will not define our season.

“We feel like we weathered the storm,” he added. “I don’t know what else can happen to us.”

Mullins is 5-5 on the season and went 2-3 in Region VIII. The Auctioneers enter on a two-game win streak.

“They’re physical. Very big,” said Brigs. “Next year, they will be a great team. I have a lot of respect for them and coach Miles Aldridge. They play in the toughest 2A conference in the state with Cheraw and Dillon.”

For all the big-time NCAA Division I offers for Dexter Morant, Phillip Dukes and John Fulton, Briggs said the Monarchs wouldn’t be here if not for the kids under the radar.

“Tremaine Junious has come in and done a great job at offensive guard,” said Briggs. “(Running back) Marcos Pearson has been taken for granted replacing a kid (Jason Witherspoon) that ran for 1,500 yards each of the past three seasons. Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are.”

With the playoff experience he has on his team, Briggs said that many of the games are won in preparation, not on Friday night. On Friday night, you just have to do you job.

“The teams that win playoff games understand the finale of it all for four quarters,” he said. “Playoff games are won by playing well for four quarters. You don’t have to be a superman, just do your job.

“Unless you’ve been in a playoff environment or a championship game, you don’t know what it takes to feel comfortable,” Briggs added. “What it takes is having confidence in yourself and your teammates and believing you can get it done.

“Why not us this year?”