WEST POINT — A 36-20 non-conference loss to Indianola Academy on Friday night isn’t going to keep a renewed Oak Hill Academy football team down.
“You could count on one hand the number of wins (Oak Hill) has had over the past five years or so,” a Raider fan said as the clock was winding down in the fourth. “We’re excited about where this team is going.”
Oak Hill Academy senior Jeb Stevens remembers all too well the 0-10 season the Raiders went through in 2011. He is looking to redeem his high school football career with a trip to the playoffs this season.
“We are the best team we’ve had in the past 10 years at Oak Hill,” Stevens said. “We know that, and we know we can make it to the playoffs.”
The Raiders have a different swagger than last season, according to Stevens. He said this Oak Hill team had a great offseason in the weight room and has tightened its attitude. Stevens appreciates the mind-set new coach Daniel Merchant has instilled in this Oak Hill team.
Merchant, a first-year head coach, teaches a “hard-nosed, physical” style of football. He has been pleased with how this team has bought into that mentality.
“(Merchant) is great,” Stevens said. “He keeps us straight at practice. Last season, practice was a joke, but this year we have three or four hour practices every day.”
Coming of a 27-21 victory against Winston Academy, Oak Hill Academy (2-1) hoped to improve to 3-0 for the first time in a long time.
“This week in practice wasn’t our best week of practice,” Merchant said. “We were confident coming into this game. We have to learn how to handle success better.”
Friday night’s game was a tale of two halves. The Raiders seemed deflated when the trailed 22-6 at halftime. But they showed that determination and attitude in the second half.
Oak Hill Academy’s defense held Indianola to a couple of punts in the third quarter. It also composed itself on offense and scored on its first possession.
Unfortunately, Indianola Academy proved that managing turnovers and capitalizing on turnovers wins ballgames.
“We have to learn from the loss and get better from our mistakes,” Stevens said.
Said Merchant, “We have to put this behind us. This was a non-conference game, and next week is a big conference game for us. If we want to go to the playoffs we’re going to have to win. We have to put this game behind us and work hard like we do every Monday.”
Oak Hill will take on Manchester Academy in Yazoo City at 7 p.m. Friday.
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