The end date is set.
Following a 31-0 loss to Starkville Academy last week, the Heritage Academy football team knows it will play Madison-Ridgeland Academy in its final game of the season Nov. 7 in Columbus. The loss to the Volunteers ended the Patriots’ hopes of advancing to the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools playoffs for the third-consecutive season.
Despite not qualifying for the postseason, Heritage Academy coach Barrett Donahoe knows a lot remains to be accomplished this year to build toward the 2015 season. The next step will come at 7 p.m. Friday when Heritage Academy (5-5, 1-4 Class AAA, District 1, Division II) plays at Magnolia Heights (7-2, 4-2).
“I want to see us be more consistent offensively,” Donahoe said when asked what he wants his team to accomplish in the final two games. “I want to see our young linebackers develop. I want to see our young defensive end develop. I want to see our quarterbacks continue to work well in the system we have them in and complement each other.
“I want to see us be more consistent. If we limit negative plays and we become more fundamentally sound on defense in the next two weeks, we will be happy with the results and with what our kids have done.”
Losses to Division II Starkville Academy and Pillow Academy doomed Heritage Academy’s chances continuing its postseason streak. Injuries and inexperience played key roles in the Patriots’ up-and-down season. With less than 30 players on the roster, including many in key roles who were seeing their first varsity action, Donahoe knew his team would face tough challenges in a 12-week marathon. Still, he believes the Patriots showed plenty of positives signs this season. He feels the players have remained focused and haven’t given up after tough losses. He hopes that trend will continue in the last two weeks so the team can build momentum for next season. He remained optimistic Tuesday following a “tough, physical game” Friday night and a strong practice Monday.
“I thought defensively we hung in there with them,” Donahoe said. “They moved the ball pretty well on us all night, but we were able to hang in there and get a couple of stops in the red zone and get the ball back. We just couldn’t get anything going offensively.”
The absence of junior running back Michael Ledbetter contributed to the Patriots lack of success on the ground. Forced to throw the ball more than it like, Donahoe said Heritage Academy became a little too one-dimensional, which allowed Starkville Academy to become more aggressive. He felt that mentality helped an experienced defense take control.
“We really only threatened once,” Donahoe said. “If we score early in the third quarter, it is 14-7 and it could be a little different, but, overall, I was proud of our guys and their effort. I thought our guys battled hard and played hard. Starkville Academy has a really good football team. Coach (Jeff) Terrill and his guys do a great job. There is no shame in what we did.”
Heritage Academy also played with Thomas Cooper and Dylan Hughes. He said injuries always are a part of a football season, but the Patriots’ lack of depth this year compounded the effects of the injuries. He isn’t sure if Ledbetter will be back for either of the final two games. If he isn’t, Donahoe said that will mean more chances for growth for other players, which he hopes is a positive as the program moves forward and re-assesses its goals.
For the seniors, Donahoe wants to see them close their careers on an up note. He said that group is “a special group” that includes a lot of good players who have given “consistent effort” all season. He said he is proud the players have stood in there and battled in every game. That’s why he said everyone has to have the mind-set that they are going to finish what they started.
“It is about our overall mentality and how we fight on the football field at Heritage Academy,” Donahoe said. “I think they are bought into it.”
With that being said, Donahoe knows his team will be an underdog in the final two games. He said the players have to accept that and relish it and give it everything they have in hopes of playing the role of spoiler.
“Our energy level at practice (Monday) was exciting because you saw the guys kind of have this never-give-up mentality,” Donahoe said. “Hopefully we will get that effort Friday night.
“These guys walked on the football field every Friday night and felt like they had a chance to win. They worked hard enough to win. This group has put in the time and the effort. Every day has been fantastic. You’re dealing with teenage boys. There are ebbs and flows and ups and downs in your practices, but they have put in the time and the effort. There is a reward for that. The reward is to finish strong.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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