PITTSBURG, KS – The undefeated St. Mary’s-Colgan Panthers now turn their eyes to a semifinal matchup against Jefferson County North on Friday.

Despite Colgan’s momentum and 11-0 record, Panthers head coach Shawn Seematter said facing this Chargers squad could prove to be a challenge.

“They’re an athletic, physical team,” Seematter said.

“They’re going to run the football right at us, and it’ll be a challenge for our guys up front, but hopefully we’ll be able to match their physicality.”

Running back Cooper Simmons, a major contributor on the offensive side, credited his offensive line for this year’s success.

“I’m confident in our offensive line,” Simmons said.

“They make my job easy, and I follow all of them to get the job done. Whether it’s a gain of four yards, or if I have to breakthrough for a touchdown, I trust them completely.”

With the state championship game only one win away, dual-threat quarterback Tucker Harrell emphasized the importance of staying focused.

“This game is the most important right now,” Harrell said.

“If we don’t win this one, we won’t make it to Hays next week, so we’ve got to focus on one opponent at a time, and make the best of what we’ve got left.

The Panthers will host Jefferson County North on Friday at 7 p.m.