Barrett Donahoe scheduled preseason scrimmages and jamborees to prepare the Heritage Academy football team for the 2015 season.
Following games against Pillow Academy, Raymond High School, and Simpson Academy, Donahoe hoped the Patriots were primed and ready to face good competition in the regular season.
That move paid off last week against Columbus Christian in a 48-0 victory in the season opener for both teams.
Now Donahoe hopes Heritage Academy can take the confidence it gained from winning its opener at home and go on the road tonight to face Class AAAA Lamar School in a non-conference battle.
“Everybody talks in football cliches about the improvement that you make from week one to week two is going to be the most improvement you make throughout the season,” Donahoe said. “I don’t know how we will really judge that. Our opponent this week is a very tough opponent.”
That being said, Donahoe feels the Patriots made a “big jump” from the scrimmages to the first week of the regular season. He hopes Heritage Academy can continue to grow and use the variety of weapons it showed in beating Columbus Christian in what is believed to be the first football matchup between the schools.
Michael Ledbetter had two touchdowns and paced the ground attack with 91 yards. Tyler Anderson completed only three passes, but he had touchdown passes of 54 yards to Brandon Jones and 72 yards to Dontae Gray and finished with 169 yards passing.
Donahoe said the biggest jump from the scrimmages was the Patriots’ ability to play assignment football. He said the players flew to the football and used solid pursuit angles to shut down the Rams. Offensively, he said the team’s execution needs to improve and that the running backs did a good job being patient and waiting for blocks.
“Brandon Jones’ touchdown was big for him and for us because getting him in position to score opened up opportunities for other people,” Donahoe said. “Zach Oswalt did a good job of coming in and running the offense. Toby Young and Lukas Bryant ran the ball hard, and up front we were consistent. We just have to clean up a few things.”
Donahoe knows the challenge will be tougher this week against a Lamar School team that opened its season with a 44-7 victory against Winston Academy. Reclassification by the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools pushed Lamar School up a level to the highest classification, while Heritage Academy, which competed against Lamar School in AAA in recent years, remained in Class AAA.
“I will be interested to see how we respond (tonight),” Donahoe said. “I have seen a small number of teams first hand this year, but, to me, Lamar is as solid a football team that you’re going to see in week two of the football season in the MAIS.”
To combat Lamar School’s speed, size, and experience, Donahoe said the Patriots will have to respond to adversity. He said he talked with his players about being prepared for that fact tonight and is “anxious” to see how everyone reacts.
“We have the ability to compete. We have the ability to win,” Donahoe said. “Whether or not we execute to the best of our ability and protect the football and do the things in the game plan that we want to do, will be determined how they respond after the first snap.
“They know the challenge they will face (tonight). We are seeing some of the seniors who get out early come by the field house and want to talk about the game and watch a little film. You can see their attitude is that of focus and determination. They trust in the coaching staff that we’re going to put them in the best position, and we trust them that they are going to play hard. It is definitely a very challenging week two opponent.”
Softball
n Heritage Academy 15, Hebron Christian 5: At Pheba, Kaitlyn Oswalt earned the victory for the Patriots (9-5).
Oswalt had 14 strikeouts through six innings. The game was unfinished on Gamechanger.
Macy Walters, Oswalt (three RBIs), Macy Nordquist, Sydney Adair, and Hayley Martin (three RBIs) had three hits through scoring entered when heritage Academy was leading 12-3. Madison Tipton also had a hit and two RBIs.
Follow Dispatch Sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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