Each week is a new week no matter who the opponent might be.
After opening Class 6A, Region 1 play with a 42-11 win over Center Hill last week, the Grenada Chargers return home Friday night to host Olive Branch for Homecoming. When the average per-son looks at the game, they feel like GHS should not have much problem in the contest. Coach Michael Fair stressed that his team his looking to go 1-0 this week, not looking ahead to the remainder of the season.
“We never look head,” he said. “It’s the most important game because it’s the next game. That sounds like coach speak, but it is.”
The third-year GHS coach was pleased with his team’s play against the Center Hill Mustangs last Friday night.
“Our effort was as good as it has been all year,” Fair said. “We had some turnovers, which is very uncharacteristic of us. It has been addressed and has been a point of emphasis this week. For the outcome to be what it was and still make mistakes is good. We don’t want to be peaking in Week 6. The truth is, we have plenty to work on to get better. Defensively, I thought we tackled really well. Our run fits, which is how our linebackers fit with our defensive line to stop the running game, was the best it has been all year.”
Offensively, nearly 10 different receivers caught passes. Seniors Jaeden Curry and Zayion Cotton actually took direct snaps from the quarterback position with Curry scoring on a 70-yard run.
“We spread the ball around on offense using 4-5 different personnel groups,” Fair said. “A lot of players got involved in the offense with nine different receivers catching passes. We made some good decisions against press man-to-man coverage. Our offensive line and tight ends are blocking better than they have all season. The running backs turned the corner and ran the ball hard.”
Two players that primarily have played offense this season moved to the defensive side against the Mustangs. Senior Eli Palmer, who normally plays tight end, started at middle linebacker and had five tackles. Sophomore K.J. Jones, who is rotating at running back, moved to nose tackle and had three tackles. Sophomore Semaj Brown played outside linebacker and finished with seven tackles and a sack. Brody Jackson, a senior, played most of the game in the secondary and recorded three tackles, while junior linebacker Layne Gillon had his best game at linebacker with seven tackles.
“After the loss at Oxford, we felt like we had the personnel in the building to be better than we were at some positions,” Fair said. “We moved some guys around and they responded well.”
The Chargers face a 1-5 team in Olive Branch, which defeated Lewisburg 44-21 on the road for its lone win. It’s a team coming to Grenada with nothing to lose, according to Fair.
“They don’t have a lot to lose, but they are in the first year of a coaching change,” Fair concluded. “It takes time until it clicks – our job is to make sure it doesn’t click against us.”
Homecoming festivities begin at 6:20 p.m. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
