Central Holmes football coach Jim Crowder said there is a common theme about the opponents on his football schedule.
All of them are well coached and athletic.
Despite being in the middle of a two-year schedule, the Trojans have two new opponents on their schedule, starting with Amite on Aug. 17. Amite also made the Class AA playoffs last year, beating Newton County Academy in the first round and finished 6-7 last year.
“From what I’ve seen on film, the first thing that sticks out to them is they are well coached and physical,” Crowder said. “They are a traditionally a good program and will be well coached and do the little things right. It will be a good game. Being the first game, he will be more familiar with his kids than I will be with mine. that’s always a big worry early on. Might as well start with a good team and see where you are at.”
The Trojans will then host Deer Creek, a team they beat 25-6 last year.
“Looking at them, one thing that sticks out about them is the offensive line,” Crowder said. “They are well coached and physical. they play some old-school football. They are fundament. they lose their quarterback from last year but I’m sure they will replace him with somebody just as productive.”
Then in game three, the Trojans will dive right into their division schedule with an Aug. 31 date at Winona Christian.
“That game means a lot to this school and these kids,” Crowder said. “They have a lot of friends on that team so it will be an emotional game. They are one of our two big rivals. It’s an important game and it’s a district game. I know I sound like a broken record but they are well coached and physical and they have speed. They do some things from a formation perspective that give you trouble. We will have to play well to beat them.”
The Trojans will then open September with a road game at Benton Academy, a team they beat 42-14 last year.
“We played them at Pillow in our fall jamboree and the first thing that sticks out to me is they play hard,” Crowder said. “They play to their strengths. They do what they do and do it well.”
The Trojans will then turn back to division play as they host Marshall, a team that beat them 62-24 last year.
“In preparing for Magnolia Heights, Marshall came on film and they were the total package,” Crowder said. “They are big up front and athletic. They are a physical mismatch for a lot of people.
On Sept. 21, the Trojans will then host MHSAA foe Hatley, another team the Trojans lost to.
“When I went back and watched games from previous years, I watched one film and asked ‘Why in the world are we playing them?’,” Crowder said. “Their numbers stick out. They are very well coached and do some unique things. Offensively, they are not Jackson Prep, but that’s what comes to my mind from a numbers perspective. They do some things that give you trouble.”
The Trojans will then close out September with Class AAA foe St. Aloysius, a fill in to the schedule when Manchester moved to eight-man football.
“Speed is the first thing that sticks out in my mind,” Crowder said. “They beat Jackson Prep in track. At Pillow, we saw them and they are used to playing the best in the state and they can run with anybody.”
The Trojans will then finish the regular season with two division contests, the first being with Oak Hill on Oct. 5 for homecoming.
“Oak Hill was well coached but not very athletic,” Crowder said. “They were 8-0 when we played them last year and went up there and beat them. They will be where they are supposed to be. They didn’t have a lot of skill folks.”
After an open week, the Trojans will then close the regular season with rival Carroll Academy in a game Central Holmes won 33-27 last year.
“We want the game against Carroll to mean something,” Crowder said. “They are one of our two big rivals. We want to put ourselves in a position to where the Carroll game means something for the playoffs and playoff position. We want it to mean something. Lot of familiarity between our players and their players and our fans and their fans
