As he said just a few short weeks ago, Panthers Head Football Coach Rico White likens the beginning of his first season at Georgiana High School to the building of a puzzle.

Coach White feels confident about his team's condition and the progress they have made in such a short time, since he joined the team late in the practice season.

"We've progressed pretty good - we are now putting the final pieces of the puzzle together this week," Coach White said. "We are just trying to be sound and 'mistake free' this week in practice."

White said in preparing for the season opener, and Butler County's biggest rivalry match against McKenzie this week, that all of the Panthers are pretty even right now.

"We don't have any superstars standing out above the rest - all of our players are fairly even, so we should have several guys rotating into the game this Friday night," he said.

But White said this week's practice sessions would dictate the strategy for the game.

"Those that are the most sound in their execution during practices this week will be rotated the most into the game on Friday," he said.

White said the team is ready physically, and now it is time for them to get it together mentally.

"From here on out it is pretty much mental conditioning and decision making, and execution of their assignments in plays," he said.

Kickoff for the South Butler County grudge match between Georgiana and McKenzie is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Harmon Field in Georgiana.