In their final game of the 2011 football season this Friday night at home, the W.S. Neal Eagle football team will host arch-rival T.R. Miller.
The Eagles come into the rivalry game with a 1-8 record after falling last week at home to Saraland 42-28.
The Eagles lead 28-21 before Saraland scored 21 unanswered to get the win by 14.
First year Eagle head coach Doug Hoehn said despite the loss, his Eagles played hard and Saraland has a good ball club.
“The kids played well Friday night against Saraland,” Hoehn said. “Saraland is playing with a lot of momentum right now and peaking at the right time. They were big upfront on the offense and defensive lines. Our kids played hard. It was back-and-forth and Saraland got a touchdown late in the game. I think up until three minutes left in the game, it was anyone’s game. We had a chance. We were driving with three minutes left and didn’t get it down there, but our kids played hard and I was proud of them. Saraland was a good ball team and our kids showed a lot of improvement Friday night.”
This week, the Eagles can end things on a positive note as they take on 7-2 T.R. Miller.
Hoehn said T.R. Miller seems to be peaking at the right time just like Saraland.
“I like their quarterback. He is a good football player,” Hoehn said of Tiger quarterback Kevin Davis. “He throws the ball well. Their running backs run the ball hard and I think they have a very good offensive lineman in No. 71 (Hunter Jernigan). They are playing some good football right now too. They have had a couple of big wins and I think they are starting to come together as a team right now too.”
Hoehn said playing in a rivalry game is like playing in a homecoming game.
“In my past experiences, rivalry games depend on the experience of your ball team,” Hoehn said. “If you have experience, and have kids you have coached a couple years or that have played a couple of years, you don’t say much to them rivalry week. They are ready to play and usually have their best practices of the year. Other times, I have been on the flip side with a young team. In rivalry games, they may get too excited and not know how to handle their emotions yet. Sometimes, you don’t play as well on Friday and it will be a distraction for them. Hopefully that will not be the case. We are going to address that this week about being focused and prepared. We need to play the game on Friday not Tuesday or Wednesday in practice.”
Hoehn said winning their final 2011 game in a rivalry game would be big.
“A win would be big because our kids have played hard all year and we have come so close on a number of occasions,” Hoehn said. “We are extremely proud of their effort. I feel like this year the kids were learning to compete and learn our system. To win the last game of the season would give us momentum going into the off-season and also, you just want to win your rivalry games.”
Game time is set for 7 p.m. in East Brewton.