After two weeks of being on the road against top-10 opponents UMS-Wright and Jackson, the W.S. Neal Eagle football returns home this Friday to face off against the Escambia County Blue Devils of Atmore.
W.S. Neal comes into the game 0-3 overall and 0-2 in region play following a 45-6 loss at Jackson Friday night.
W.S. Neal Eagle head coach Doug Hoehn said turnovers and penalties hurt his team in the loss and has hurt his team all season.
“Jackson was a very good football team,” Hoehn said. “They had a lot of speed and they are a team you have to play solid football against in the turnovers and penalties department. We did relatively well on the penalties, but we had five turnovers. Five turnovers led to 35 points for them. We are moving the ball on offense, but we would shoot ourselves in the foot with an interception or a fumble. But, our kids played hard, really hard. They were more physical that game than any up to that point and that is a good thing to say. That is one thing we were lacking on. The kids played hard and we grew up some.”
Hoehn said his team played through the turnovers better than previous weeks.
“We also played through the penalties better than in previous weeks,” Hoehn said. “In the previous weeks, the penalties and turnovers really shook them up. We are not where we wanted to be playing through them, but we improved from past weeks.”
Atmore comes into the game 1-2 after falling to UMS-Wright Friday 35-12.
“They are another team with speed,” Hoehn said. “This is two weeks in a row we are facing a team with more superior speed than us. They have a very good quarterback and I think he makes their offense go much like Jackson’s quarterback. He makes their offense operate. We are going to have to find a way to somehow contain him. I don’t mean contain him the entire game, but decrease his ability to make plays.”
So far this season, the Eagles have been outscored 48-0 in the first quarter and 93-6 in the first half. Hoehn said that stat reflects on the Eagles’ turnovers in penalties in the first quarter.
“We have not played well in the first quarter,” Hoehn said. “The first quarter is where a lot of our turnovers and penalties are hurting and we are digging ourselves a hole. We have to figure out some way to come out and have a good first quarter. Penalties and turnovers have killed us in first quarter ballgames this year.”
Game time is set for 7 p.m. at W.S. Neal Stadium in East Brewton.