A 51-20 win against Berry last week boosted the Ragland Purple Devils into the Class 1A quarterfinal game, set for 7 p.m. Friday at Ragland.

The Purple Devils will host Collinsville, whom they edged past 12-7 in their last regular season game.  Coach Brian Mintz said that his team isn’t taking the Panthers lightly just because it’s beaten them once.

“I think obviously it’s going to be a big thing on (Collinsville’s) part to get us back, and it can be hard when you’re playing a team again that you beat earlier in the year, but our kids are motivated and focused on the game.  I think there’s enough motivation there that I don’t have to worry too much about us taking them lightly.”

Mintz said he expects Collinsville to make use of its “wide-open offense, and our ability to counteract that will be important.  I expect their quarterback to run and throw just like he did against us before.  We’re not going to do things a lot different from our game plan last week, which is to play offense and keep our defense off the field.  A good offense can be a good defense.”

Ragland’s offense took full advantage of Berry last week, jumping out to an early lead and building on it through the first half.  

“We got off to a fast start, and things really got away from them in the last few minutes of the half,” Mintz said.  “We played good defense, and our offense was able to eliminate the clock.”

Friday’s game will mark Ragland’s first appearance in a quarterfinal game since advancing to the semifinals in 2006.  Lynn eliminated the Purple Devils from last season’s playoffs in the second round.

Now 12-0, Ragland is ranked third in Class 1A and remains one of 13 undefeated teams of any classification.  The 12 wins are the most ever in a single season for a Ragland team, according to Mintz.

A win against Collinsville would pit the Purple Devils against the winner of this week’s Donoho-Marion County game.