BY ROY LANG III, Journal Sports
Coy Brotherton isn’t exactly over the hill at 39, but it can feel that way in the football coaches’ office at Parkway High School. With coordinators aged 32 (Dillon Jackson, defense) and 26 (Matthew Sewell, offense) and a bevy of assistants in their mid-20s, the old-man jokes are natural.
But this is exactly what Brotherton envisioned when he took over the Panthers after the 2019 season.
“I was looking for young, hard working guys that could come in and build (a program),” Brotherton told the Journal.
In their second year under Brotherton and a pair of youthful coordinators, the Panthers knocked off ASH and Captain Shreve in the 2021 playoffs and this year’s squad aims to capitalize on the “Dirty Red” momentum and the growing pains.
“We have some buzz,” Brotherton said. “It’s kind of fun right now with the energy our kids bring every day. There is a lot of new stuff going on at the stadium with the new turf. The momentum is there and we have to continue to build on that. We can’t slip.
“This is a huge year for our program’s success. Last season was a big turning point.”
Sewell is one of the youngest offensive coordinators at the state’s highest classification. A former Haughton center and deep snapper, Sewell served as an assistant coach for the Buccaneers before moving from one Brotherton brother (Jason) to another.
“Getting Matthew was huge,” Coy said. “He’s smart. He knows the game. Nobody is going to outwork him. He’s going to be prepared. On Monday, he’s able to see how the game is going to play out on Friday.”
The Panthers have made obvious strides under the budding staff (they collected their first winning season in five years in 2021), but there have been lessons learned.
Sewell quickly realized aggression wasn’t always needed, especially after early struggles in the red zone.
“Matthew once told me, ‘Do not let me throw the ball on the goal line again,’” Coy said. “Sometimes, it’s easier to run the ball behind our big offensive linemen.”
The Buccaneers’ roots are deep.
“At Haughton, we always threw the ball, so when we get down there I want to throw it,” Sewell said. “In reality, if we’re inside the 10-yard line, if we can’t hand the ball off and score, we don’t deserve to score.”
The dialogue in the coaches’ office is open and necessary. In addition to peers his age, Sewell can lean on the Panthers’ experience in coaches like Brotherton and Mike Concilio.
“It’s 5A football – the highest level. Every week you’re playing against great teams and coaches that have been in the game a long time. It’s not easy,” said Sewell, who is supported on offense by assistants like Jordan Shaffer (25, former Benton QB), Jacob James (25, former Airline/ETBU quarterback) and Heath Hunt (30, former OC at North Webster). “It’s a lot of responsibility. Week to week staying on top of everything. You have to have a plan for everything – almost every minute of practice for the whole week.”
Sewell is excited about a Panthers’ offense that will parlay a significant amount of experience and new quarterback Ashton Martin, a transfer from Captain Shreve.
“We do things a little different,” Sewell said. “We have a tight end on the field every play. He’s like a sixth O-lineman, so we can move guys around and have a lot of formations.
“Ashton Martin is extremely talented. I’m excited to see what he can do. He can run a little bit, so he allows us to do more formationally.”
The Panthers open the 2022 season when they host Minden on Thursday.
Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com