Oak Hill Academy football coach Daniel Merchant quickly recites all the scenarios required to get his team in the playoffs.
One can sense the excitement in the first-year coach’s voice.
“The coaches, players, and fans are all excited,” Merchant said. “This is what you play for. Everybody wants to make the playoffs. That tells you it has been a great year. We want to get in the playoffs, and hopefully, we can shock some people once we get there.”
To qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2009, the Raiders need three things to happen. First, Oak Hill Academy (5-5, 1-3 district) needs to beat Immanuel Christian (3-7, 0-4) in the final Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AA, District 2 regular-season game at 7 tonight in Steens. It also must have Winston Academy (4-5, 2-2) lose at Leake Academy (7-3, 4-0) and Manchester Academy (5-5, 2-2) lose at Canton Academy (6-3, 3-1).
If those things happen, Oak Hill Academy will qualify as a Class AA wild card and will open the playoffs Nov. 2 at North Delta Academy or Central Hinds Academy.
“It is all right there in front of us,” Merchant said. “We will need to win and get some help. However, you control what you can control. We can control going out and playing well against Immanuel. After that, you hope everything falls into place. But it is a good to know you go into the last week of the season with a chance.”
Oak Hill Academy has opened the door by playing its best football down the stretch. It enters tonight’s game coming off back-to-back wins against New Site (37-14) and Kirk Academy (32-14).
“I told the coaches earlier this week that these were the two best games we’ve played this season,” Merchant said. “This is what you want to do. You want to improve each week. We lost three straight games earlier this season. The biggest reason for that were turnovers.
“We have really cleaned up a lot of things since that time. I like how we are playing right now.”
Despite a winless season in 2011, Merchant had no fears this season’s losing streak would extend for the balance of the season. A change in mind-set and mentality allowed him to believe his team would turn the corner.
“The kids were beaten down for so long out here you don’t know how they are going to react,” Merchant said. “We won the first two games of the season and I think that created a totally different mentality. This team is mentally tough. Each week they have come out ready to work hard win or lose.”
Immanuel Christian has lost its last three games — to Potts Camp (58-14), Manchester Academy (41-12), and Winston Academy (64-28).
Immanuel Christian beat Oak Hill Academy 14-12 last season.
Oxford (9-0, 5-0) at West Point (7-2, 5-0)
As the temperatures take the first plunge of the fall, it seems fitting the Green Wave will be at home playing a game to decide a region champion.
West Point will play host to Oxford tonight in a battle of heavyweight powers to determine the winner of the Mississippi High School Activities Association’s Class 5A, Region 1. Both teams have secured a first-round playoff game at home. Tonight’s winner earns the region’s top seed. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at McCallister Field.
“It is championship week for us,” West Point coach Chris Chambless said. “Oxford has an outstanding team. We will have to play our best.”
West Point won back-to-back region titles before watching Center Hill snap that string last season. The Green Wave will try to make it three region titles in four seasons. To achieve that feat, the West Point defense will need to stop Oxford’s all-out passing assault. Oxford is averaging 200 yards per game in the air, while West Point has won two games this season without throwing a pass.
“The biggest concern as a coach is we haven’t faced a lot of passing teams,” Chambless said. “You are always anxious to see how a team responds to something they have not seen frequently.”
West Point has won five straight region games by an average margin of 31 points. Both Green Wave losses were in the non-region — a 12-10 setback to Class 6A favorite South Panola and a 6-0 setback to Class 4A favorite Noxubee County.
“Our schedule has been brutal,” Chambless said. “We like to play those types of games. When you play those types of games, the kids are ready to play games like this.”
Oxford has won its five region games by an average margin of 22 points. It survived early non-region scares by Grenada (28-22) and Charleston (21-18). Much like West Point, Oxford found a second gear to blow through region play.
West Point beat Oxford 31-21 last season.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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