Expect the unexpected.
That’s the approach Heritage Academy football coach Sean Harrison is taking tonight for his team’s Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class AAA first-round playoff game against Central Private School at 7 tonight at C.L. Mitchell Field.
Part of Harrison’s caution is anything can happen at playoff time. Harrison is confident that the sixth-seeded Patriots (8-3) have been tested coming out of District 2.
But some of the uncertainty comes from not knowing the strength of teams’ districts and the level of non-district competition they have played to get to the postseason.
That’s why Harrison isn’t sure what to expect from the Rebels. Central Private, which is from Baker, Louisiana, went 0-3 in District 5, which features Adams County Christian, Silliman Institute, and Cathedral. The Rebels surrendered 127 points in losing to all three teams.
Without any common opponents, Harrison has studied film and seen an opponent that has a lot of options. He joked Thursday that the preparation for some many possibilities has kept defensive coordinator Russ Whiteside up late this week.
“The running back (Cole Averette) and quarterback (Kaleb Fontenot) stand out, but the biggest thing about them is they play really hard,” Harrison said. ‘They’re an impressive group, so we’re going to have our hands full.”
Harrison said the Rebels will operate out of the Double Wing and run both the midline veer and speed package out of it. He said the Rebels like to move tackles to create unbalanced lines and to run out of the Polecat, or Swinging Gate, to keep defenses off balance. A Swinging Gate is when an offensive line, with the exception of the center, lines up on one side of the field, leaving the quarterback and center, and perhaps a running back, unprotected.
Harrison feels the Patriots have a pretty good plan entering the game. He said his players can’t get caught up in thinking about what might be coming based on a formation. He said the key will be going out and playing hard and playing assignment football.
Harrison also feels his team enters the playoffs with momentum following a 28-14 victory against Canton Academy last week. Sophomore quarterback Carter Putt threw for 250 yards and two touchdown passes to Jared Long to lead the Patriots. Putt also scored on a keeper. Senior running back Dontae Gray led the way with 175 rushing yards, including a 25-yard touchdown to help the Patriots secure second place behind Starkville Academy in District 2.
Harrison expects everyone to be available for tonight’s game. He said the Rebels run a Split 4, Cover 3 and that it will be paramount to establish a running game to give Putt and the receivers a chance to have more room to work.
“I think we’re going to vary the tempo a little more than we have been,” Harrison said. “I thought we were very balanced against Canton. Dontae ran the ball really well and the ‘O’ line probably played their best game of the year, which is big time heading into the playoffs.”
Harrison said the progress of the offensive line is simply a matter of added experience. He said that group is clicking right now, which allowed him to feel free to call running or passing plays last week.
The winner will play the winner of the game between third-seeded Adams County Christian and 14th-seeded Lee Academy (Miss.) next week. The highest remaining seed will play host to that game.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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