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Oglethorpe County head coach Michael Holland speaks to his players after a recent practice. The Patriots will play host to Prince Avenue, the defending Class A Division I state champion, at 7:30 p.m. Friday. (LAUREN HILL/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)
Oglethorpe County is preparing for one of its toughest opponents this season. The Patriots play host to No. 1 and defending state champ Prince Avenue Christian on Friday night.
“If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best,” senior running back Jake Turner said.
Prince Avenue (6-1) defeated OCHS 56-17 as part of its 20-game winning streak, which came to an end in a loss to Mary Persons on Sept. 29. The Wolverines have had consecutive bye weeks to prepare for the Patriots (3-4).
It’s the first Region 5-A Division I game for both teams.
“I don't want the players to get outside of themselves and think that one game is bigger than another,” head coach Mike Holland said. “That way, when we do play in those big games, we have a business-as-usual mentality and just go out, do the best you can, play free, and play hard.”
Coming off a bye week and a 56-0 shutout against ACS, the Patriots said they remain level-headed.
“We just have to take the momentum from our win (over Athens Christian) into the Prince Avenue game,” senior linebacker Ashton Sexton said. “It’s going to be tough, but I think we can do it.”
In the Patriots’ loss last season, Holland said he saw potential points that he wants to capitalize on this week.
“The things that hurt us, hopefully, will fall right in our lap this year,” Holland said. “It's not necessarily a mystery in what we think we're gonna see. It's not like they have special plays that are going to come out just for us.
“But, what they do, they do at a high level. So, that's what we're trying to get them ready for.”
One of the main differences between OCHS last season compared to this year is the Patriots’ defensive scheme. Their 3-3-5 defense is designed to combat pass-heavy offenses, while also focusing on different pressures on the quarterback.
This creates a potential foil for Prince Avenue quarterback Aaron Philo, who has thrown for 2,180 yards and 27 touchdowns this season.
The Georgia Tech commit passed for 372 yards and five touchdowns against OCHS last year.
“(The Wolverines) do a good job with their screen game, and they do a really good job with some unconventional stuff,” Holland said. “They're really good at what they do.”