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Flowers defeated Suitland 29-6 Monday night to advance to the 4A South regional title game.
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By James A. McCray III
Prince Georges' County, Content Manager

4A South regional championship game
No. 4 Henry Wise at No. 2 C.H. Flowers
Saturday, 1 p.m.

For cat lovers, Saturday's 4A South regional championship game will present more than an opportunity at a state tournament berth. It will give cat lovers a chance to see which large cat will come out on top as well. However, the battle is not really about the animal admirers, more for the football lovers.

The C.H. Flowers Jaguars will host the Henry Wise Pumas Saturday at 1 p.m. as each team will attempt to not only win the region, not only put in its bid for an opportunity at a state title, but to also prove which large cat will come out on top.

In the first meeting, the Jaguars used a defensive touchdown to defeat the Pumas 7-6 in a more than closely-contested contest on Sept. 27. However, this time around, both teams look to add more points to the scoreboard.

"They are very tough," Flowers head coach Michael Mayo said of Wise. "They are great defensively, they have great athletes on offense, they move the football, and they are not the same football team that we played [on Sept. 27].

"They have that confidence up. They beat Roosevelt last week, played well at the end of the year, and they have high confidence too now."

The Jaguars (10-1) left no doubt in its rematch with Suitland last Monday in the 4A South regional semi-final game after a 29-6 victory, on the heels of a 20-14 victory in overtime in the two teams' first meeting.

As the offense is potent in its own right, the Flowers defense will look to continue its run of allowing points few and far in between.

Wise (8-3) comes into the game against Flowers with confidence spewing from the team and its coaching staff. A 14-6 double overtime victory over No. 1 seeded and previously undefeated Eleanor Roosevelt will allow Wise to come into the game  with confidence levels high.

"Are we over confident? No," Wise head coach DaLawn Parrish said. "[Flowers] does not have to prepare for us as much as we have to prepare for them. We are a physical running team, much like Suitland. For us, we have to prepare to adjust to their misdirection plays."

On his personal take on the game, Parrish added jokingly: "People don't really like when I say this, but this game is like two expansion teams meeting in the regional final. They have not been over that hump of a regional title, and this is our first time here."

One of the "expansion teams" will earn a state tournament bid with a victory Saturday.

"I am a realist," Parrish said. "I am nervous as can be. I would be lying to you if I said I wasn't."

"We are trying to keep the kids focused, and make them understand that they need to play one game at a time," Mayo said. " ... You have to keep your focus because in the playoffs it is one and done."

tmccray@digitalsports.com