The Heritage Academy football team has faced expectations for the 2018 season ever since a loss to Adams County Christian Academy ended the 2017 campaign.

A nine-win season and a trip to the second round of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA playoffs heightened anticipation that the 2018 season could be even better for a program that returned a strong group of seniors and a talented cast of juniors.

Back-to-back losses to Lamar School and Pillow Academy forced Heritage Academy coach Sean Harrison to change the narrative.

While any coach would love a perfect season, losses to Class AAAA schools had no way of impacting any of the Patriots’ goals for this season. Harrison reminded his players of that fact prior to their game last week against Magnolia Heights, another Class AAAA opponent. Heritage Academy responded with a 35-7 victory that Harrison felt helped his players re-focus on relaxing and playing loose.

“I was proud of them and the way that they came out,” Harrison said. “They went out Friday night and had fun. They gang-tackled and made plays and did everything they we were supposed to do.”

Harrison hopes Heritage Academy (4-2) will have that same attitude at 7 p.m. Friday when it travels to Madden to take on Leake Academy (5-1, 1-0 district) in its Class AAA, District 2 opener.

Harrison said he felt his team was “uptight” against Lamar School and even more uptight against Pillow Academy. He said he didn’t think his players were having fun the last two weeks and that he wanted them to get back to enjoying football. Junior quarterback Carter Putt (15-for-21, 304 yards, two touchdowns) spearheaded that effort, while running back Kelvin “K.J.” Smith had 18 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns in one of the Patriots’ most balanced attacks of the season.

“The execution was there,” Harrison said. “The passing game was good, but I was most impressed with the running game because that was by far the best defensive front we have played and we really handled our business up front. K.J. ran the ball well. Davis (Fitch) probably had his best game at H. Rocky (Wright) did well at the fullback spot when we went to the I-formation.”

Harrison feels this is the most consistent the offense has been in his time as head coach at the school. He said Putt continues to develop and to lead an offense that has a host of other weapons, including senior Moak Griffin and junior Jared Long. Still, injuries have impacted the Patriots’ depth. Harrison said the team had 17 players practice last Tuesday, but he said he likes the character and leadership on the team that are pushing it forward. He said the guidance from the juniors and seniors has helped all of the players buy into the fact they have to control what they can control and play to their potential.

“I think they got caught up in that we’re supposed to be a good team,” Harrison said. “I think after the Lamar game they kind of felt like they had let themselves down and people down. That’s not the case, so I think just coming back full circle and realizing if they just go out and execute and have fun they can win a lot of football games.”

Harrison said he and his coaches probably will remind the Patriots about having fun. The team’s message board, which highlights some of their top goals for the season, doesn’t say anything about being perfect or beating Lamar School, Pillow Academy, Magnolia Heights, or Wayne Academy. However, beating Leake Academy will be a key if Heritage Academy wants to realize those goals. Harrison said his team will face a test going on the road to a destination that typically is a tough place to play.

“Leake is a really good team,” Harrison said. “Leake hasn’t played the toughest schedule, but they have gone out and done what they’re supposed to do. They have had a running clock in their last four games.”

Harrison said the coaching staff has worked hard to break down all of Leake Academy’s multiple looks on both sides of the ball. He hopes that preparation and a loose attitude will serve the Patriots well in a game that he hopes will set them on the right path in district play.

“We are worried about us and making sure we are playing our best football this week,” Harrison said.

Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor

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