Sean Harrison isn’t counting on another 28-point first quarter or a 77-point outburst.

But the Heritage Academy football coach is confident his senior-laden team isn’t going to relax after a 30-point win in the first round of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class AAA playoffs.

At 7 p.m. Friday, fourth-seeded Heritage Academy (9-2) will play host to fifth-seeded Manchester Academy (7-4) in a second-round game at C.L. Mitchell Field.

“We thought we could dominate up front and we did,” Harrison said. “The offensive line and H-backs did a really, really good job. Dontae (Gray) did what Dontae does. Wilder (Strickland) ran the ball well. Lukas (Bryant) ran it well. Toby (Young) ran it well. Tyler (Anderson) ran it well.”

Gray rushed for 300 yards and six touchdowns in a 77-47 victory against 13th-seeded St. Aloysius. It was the program’s highest-scoring game in at least 22 years.

Heritage Academy, which won its first district championship since 2003, also earned its first playoff victory at home since a 42-18 victory against Prairie View (La.) on Nov. 6, 1998.

Harrison credited the players for their execution in the opening round. He feels the excitement about the victory has subsided and the team re-focused Sunday and went back to work for what he expects to be another great atmosphere in Columbus.

Harrison said Manchester Academy, which beat common opponents Lee Academy (35-0) and Leake Academy (31-28 in overtime) and lost to Indianola Academy (35-7) and St. Aloyisus (28-21) is a big, physical team that will offer a different challenge than St. Aloysius, which had plenty of speed.

“As long as we do what we’re supposed to do and play hard every snap and execute, we will be fine,” Harrison said.

Harrison feels his team will be fine because it has faced opponents of similar sizes and physical capabilities. He believes there were plenty of teaching moments from the last game that the Patriots will have to fix if they want to keep their season alive.

The winner of Friday night’s game will take on the winner of the game between Indianola Academy and Columbia Academy next week.

“I think we have calmed the nerves, but no more games are guaranteed,” Harrison said. “Nothing is promised, so we are still treating every day like it is the last one.”

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Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.