Vance High assistant coach thankful, hopes he and the team can learn from his mistake
Vance High defensive coordinator Anthony Hackett said he brings a certain energy to the team. Everyone around the Cougars’ football team would agree with that.
In his second year as coordinator, Hackett has transformed Vance into one of the most aggressive defenses in the state, a style he said that matches the way he played in college at Ohio University 15 years ago. That aggressive style was a big reason why Vance won five straight road games, and beat three top seeds, en route the school’s first state championship 16 months ago.
But before Vance played Hough April 9, Hackett admitted he let his emotions get the best of him.
In the pregame run-up to a highly anticipated game between rivals, Hackett made a lewd gesture towards the Hough sidelines as coaches from both teams were talking trash.
Hackett, 38, was suspended for Vance’s first round playoff game against Ardrey Kell, and the Cougars — at least defensively — didn’t look like themselves. Ardrey Kell went up 12 points in the third quarter and was threatening to end Vance’s season.
“I would’ve felt like crap if we would’ve lost,” Hackett said, “and we did not play well on defense. I felt like it would’ve been my fault, not being there.”
Vance rallied to beat Ardrey Kell 44-28 and set up a rematch with Hough, in a second round game that was played Friday.
Hough got 43 yards rushing in the Cougars’ 24-10 win. The Huskies’ promising sophomore quarterback Tad Hudson, a Power 5 recruit with a big arm, threw for 207 yards and a touchdown but he was sacked several times and harassed all game by a Vance defense that looked nothing like the group that showed up at Ardrey Kell.
Hackett was back — and Vance had its Energy Guy back.
“The kids were a little lethargic last week,” Hackett said. “But I knew on Tuesday that we would be ready to go and the kids were dialed in. They were excited to get me back. I was excited to be back. I tried to be the best coach I could be and definitely wanted them to have more energy.”
Hackett, as you might expect, coaches hard. Some of the Vance players didn’t always take it well, but when Hackett wasn’t there, the Cougars realized they needed his brand of tough love and tough coaching.
“We had some things going on,” Vance head coach Glenwood Ferebee said, “as far as coaching staff-wise, and kids kind of on coaches because coaches were hard on them. Hackett wasn’t with us the prior week and he came back and made amends and talked to the kids about it and they realized how much he loves them.
“Everything happens for a reason and what happened over the past couple of weeks helped us....(Against Ardrey Kell), they didn’t play hard and now they understand what he brings to the table, and why he coaches them. It needed to happen.”
After the Hough game, Ferebee said he made it a point to compliment his coordinator.
“He brought so much energy and I told him that,” Ferebee said. “I said, ‘You’re the heart and soul of our defense even though you don’t play a snap. You look like you played a snap.’ He just brings that energy and the kids react. Him not being there last week kind of showed and (Friday) you saw the difference.”
Hackett said there was a lesson for him in all of this. He said he knows it’s OK to be emotional but you have to control your emotions.
“When you’re in a leadership role and out in front of kids,” he said, “you’ve got to make good decisions and you’ve got to live with the consequences. I’m just glad I got another chance to be out here.”
And he doesn’t plan to waste it.
Friday’s state semifinal pairings
Class 4AA
Friday’s semifinals
West
Vance (8-1) at Myers Park (9-0)
East
Wake Forest (7-1) at Rolesville (8-0)
Class 4A
Friday’s semifinals
West
Butler (8-1) at Grimsley (8-0)
East
New Bern (7-1) at Cardinal Gibbons (8-0)
Class 3AA
Friday’s semifinals
West
Dudley (8-1) at Mount Tabor (9-0)
East
Clayton (8-1) at Cleveland (9-0)
Class 3A
Friday’s semifinals
West
Monroe (7-2) at Charlotte Catholic (7-1)
East
Western Alamance (9-0) at Havelock (9-0)
Class 2AA
Friday’s semifinals
West
Salisbury (7-2) at North Davidson (8-1)
East
St. Pauls (7-0) at Washington (7-1)
Class 2A
Saturday’s quarterfinals
East
Northeastern 41, Eastern Randolph 0
Friday’s semifinals
West
Mountain Heritage (6-1) at Hendersonville (7-2)
East
Northeastern (6-0) at Reidsville (8-0)
Class 1AA
Friday’s semifinals
West
Polk County (6-1) at East Surry (8-1)
East
Louisburg (6-2) at Tarboro (7-0)
Class 1A
Friday’s semifinals
West
Murphy (8-1) at Robbinsville (9-0)
East
Pinetown Northside (7-2) at Northampton (3-3)
This story was originally published April 26, 2021 at 6:45 AM.
