This Friday night Newberry High School will host its biggest game so far this century when District 4-2B power Ocala Trinity Catholic comes to town.

On Oct. 14, 2005 when the Panthers squared off with the eventual FHSAA state champion Celtics, it was like a Super Bowl-winning celebration when Newberry scored the first points Trinity Catholic had allowed all season (a stretch spanning the previous seven games).

Well, you’ve got to find something positive when you lose 58-6.

Now, things are much different.

The Panthers (7-0, 2-0 in the district and ranked third in last week’s Class 2B poll) could be considered the favorite this week against the Celtics (5-3, 2-1).

No doubt the players and coaches all know the implications of this game ” a victory would earn Trinity Catholic at least a tie for the 4-2B crown (and make the Celtics the winner in all tiebreaker scenarios), while a Newberry win would earn the Panthers at least a tie for the title with next week’s game at P.K. Yonge determining the champ.

A few days after Trinity Catholic’s Oct. 5 29-28 loss in overtime at Union County gave the Celtics their first-ever regular-season loss in district play, I asked star Panthers tailback Antwan “Kelo” Ivey what he thought when he heard the result.

Ivey shrugged his shoulders and said it wasn’t that big a deal.

He probably was holding back a little, but the point was clear.

The days when merely scoring against Trinity Catholic is a big feat are gone. The Panthers are playing to win.