The End Zone Game of the Week Preview: Mount de Sales Academy vs. Stratford Academy
The End Zone Game of the Week features the 52nd all-time meeting between the Mount de Sales Academy Cavaliers and the Stratford Academy Eagles.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The End Zone Game of the Week features the 52nd all-time meeting between the Mount de Sales Academy Cavaliers and the Stratford Academy Eagles.
The Cavaliers are in year two under head coach Gray Yates, and it hasn’t been the best. They are 0-7 and have lost 16 straight games dating back to last season. With all the struggles, it’s been important for Coach Yates to stay on his players to still come out and compete hard each day.
“It’s real important for our leaders and for our kids who are making plays to kind of step in and say, ‘Hey guys, let’s still come out. There are plenty of reasons to play. There are plenty of reasons to come out and be competitive,'” Yates said. “So we are battling that, but hopefully this week, we can come out and have a good week.”
The Eagles are coming off of a GIAA state title appearance, but they are 4-4 this season with back-to-back losses to start region play. Head coach Chance Jones did say they are struggling with injuries lately, but regardless of that fact, they have been outscored 74 to 13 in their two region games so far.
“I’d like to score more points and do better against the rush,” he said. “Those are two things that have been a problem the past few weeks, so we got to do better against the run, and we got to be able to score points when we get inside the red zone.”
The Eagles are the clear favorite in this week’s matchup, which hasn’t really helped them recent weeks.
“Something that’s good and bad, “Jones said. “We’ve been the favorites in several games that we’ve lost this year, so that hopefully keeps their heads pretty level. They know they aren’t good enough to just try to go win off talent or something like that.”
Yates says the Cavaliers are still going to put up a fight, hoping to win their first game of the season.
“The hunger part for our kids is really something that I would like to emphasize to them so that we can kind of get this monkey off our back a little bit and win a football game,” he said.
The Eagles will look to defeat the Cavaliers for a third straight season and pick up their first region victory of the season, while the Cavaliers are looking to win for the first time in 17 games.
The End Zone Game of the Week is scheduled for Friday, October 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Mike Garvin Stadium. Catch highlights on The End Zone during 41NBC News at 11.
