MERIDIAN —
For any high school senior, the last game they play at their home stadium carries a special meaning. Seniors on the Russell Christian football team feel no different.
Friday night’s MAIS 8-man semifinal game will be the last time they step on the field and wear the blue and gold in front of a home crowd.
Added to the emotion of the night is a chance to punch a ticket to the state championship game at Mississippi College. Up next for the Warriors is a Franklin Academy team with only one loss on the season.
The visitors from Louisiana are one of only a few teams at the 8-man level that can match Russell Christian in size and look to present a challenge on the defensive side of the ball Friday night.
“They’re big,” Russell Christian head coach Nate Ballard said. “We are going to have our hands full. They are one of the hardest hitting teams we have seen all year.
“They like to hit. They got a 6-3 defensive end, a 6-2 defensive tackle, and they got two running backs that are over 200 pounds. Size wise, they are big and they really like to punish people.”
Russell Christian plays certainly are not afraid of a little size. In fact, just as they did against Calhoun Academy in the final week of the regular season, the Warriors will look to prove doubters wrong and show they are the most physical team in the league.
“I challenged my three big-uglies to show which group is better,” Ballard said. “I’ve been getting a lot of calls from other coaches telling me how big and strong Frankin is, so I took that as an opportunity to challenge my offensive line. My offensive linemen in practice have responded very well.
Home field advantage will not only help to aide the Warriors, the trip from Louisiana will present an extra challenge from the visiting Cougars, one that Ballard said he is glad his team doesn’t have to take part in.
“It’s tough to make a trip like that,” Ballard said. “You are sitting for so long, there are so many little distractions that can happen on a long road trip. I’m just glad it is not us.”
With only two games standing in the way of a first ever state title for Russell Christian Academy, players are hungry for a perfect end to the season. However, Ballard has reminded his team to play each week one at a time and not to get ahead of themselves. If the Warriors can do that, the team believes nothing can stop them.
“There has certainly been more focus,” Ballard said of practice. “Just yesterday one of the players came up and said, ‘I can taste it coach, I can taste it.’ It’s becoming a very good possibility to be there. Here it is two weeks away, but we won’t look past Franklin at all. We know what’s at stake, but we haven’t forgot what we have to do Friday night.”
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Warriors look for final win at home
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