Armwood remains confident

Armwood football coach Sean Callahan would like you to believe his team is in over its head entering Friday's Class 4A state semifinal at Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer.

The program's track record says otherwise, and the way the team has performed this season leaves no reason to believe the Hawks are not exactly where they should be, even if this year's team has relied on several underclassmen to reach this point.

That doesn't mean the Hawks are not entering this matchup in a peculiar situation, however, because they are. While Armwood has taken the all-too-familiar role as favorite in most matchups this decade, the Hawks will walk into Blum Stadium as the underdog.

"We're not used to that," Callahan said. "Nobody in Vegas is going to be putting us up to win."

That's understandable, considering Dwyer has won 12 consecutive games after losing its season opener to Belle Glade Glades Central, which will play Saturday for the Class 2A state title. In addition, the Panthers, ranked 16th nationally by Rivals.com, reached the state semifinals last season before falling to eventual Class 4A state champion Plant on the road.

The Armwood players, however, are not buying into the underdog role.

"We don't even use that word - underdog," Hawks linebacker Jermaine McKinney said.

"To us, we're not (an underdog). To everyone else, yeah (we are). That really doesn't mean much," Hawks quarterback Josh Grady said. "We have all the confidence in the world to come out with a win."

And the Hawks should be confident. They have gone on the road each of the past two weeks, against two very good teams in Largo and Punta Gorda Charlotte, and walked out victorious. Callahan agrees that Armwood is playing its best football now. Still, the task at hand will be a difficult one.

"We're in deep water," Callahan said, "and we're going to have to fight our butts off to get above."

That means a perfect game. No mental mistakes. Limit the penalties. Capitalize on opportunities.

"They are a team that can be beat," McKinney said.