Rarely are football teams awarded a second chance to reach their goal.
And even more rarely do teams capitalize on that opportunity. The Gregory Gorillas, though, are making the most of their “Do Over.”
“We had no seniors so everybody that played last year, played this year. So it was kind of like a second chance for us,” said Gorillas Head Coach Mike Murray.
“We got like a do-over and we are really making the most of it.”
The Gorillas have turned that experience last year from 6 wins to 10 wins, and a Dome appereance for the first time since 2017. But it wasn’t only that experience that elevated this program to the pinnacle of the Class.
“Really this past summer, a lot of guys dedicated themselves to hit the weight room, to get stronger and get better. They’ve done a lot of stuff in the offseason to make themselves better and really I think we had that feeling of “hey we are all coming back”. We had a really good season last year, but we’ve had a better one this year so we just took it game by game and it’s really played out for us.”
This year’s squad has also embraced the tradition of Gorilla Football. It’s a unique brand of smash-mouth football that has helped them give up 11 1/2 points per game, despite having one of the toughest schedules in the state.
“It’s very physical, fast pace, just fast football were you are aggressive and know your job and really love to hit,” Coach Murray said of Gorilla Football. “These guys just like to be physical. They are not always the biggest guys on the field but they will out work anybody.”
Coach Murray also stressed the important of Defensive Coordinator Andy Thomas’ game plan, and the completion of that said plan from players.
“He has just done a great job of scheming against the plays that the other teams want to do and he really likes to take away their bread and butter plays and make them do what they are uncomfortable doing. So they’ve done a great job executing that plan and trying to take away what they want, while making them do the things their not so good at.“
The Gorillas will now set their sights on a 7:00 PM matchup this Thursday against a tough Warner team, hoping to to complete their destiny and make the most of that rare second opportunity.
“It’s just the opportunity to see these kids fulfill their dream. You always think about playing in the Dome so really glad to get the kids there and really know it’s their opportunity to write the end of their story.“
