Pillow Academy can take a big step toward a third straight North AAAA title Friday.
The Mustangs tangle with archrival Washington School in the first two straight league games that will determine how things shake out. PA plays at Magnolia Heights next week before closing out the regular season at home against East Rankin.
“You want to be able to get that first-round bye and then be at home in the semifinals. That’s what is at stake, and it all starts Friday night,” Pillow coach Tripp McCarty said.
The PA seniors have never lost to Washington. The Mustangs won this matchup 28-14 last year and 28-0 in 2016 — snapping a five-game losing skid to the Generals.
When you add the rivalry aspect to this key conference matchup, you come up with a game that both sides want in a bad way.
“It doesn’t matter what sport it is. It’s always electric when these two teams get together,” McCarty said. “We seem to bring out the best in each other.”
Pillow is 3-5 after last week’s 40-0 rout of Kirk Academy and is in search of its first back-to-back wins of the season.
Washington comes in at 4-3 overall, defeating Bayou Academy 23-14. Pillow lost 20-12 to Bayou in late August but is a different team now.
“We are much better, but so is everyone else just based on the amount of ball they have under their belts. I really like the way we are rallying to the ball, and offensively, we are doing a better job of taking advantage of our opportunities. And also we have cleaned up some things in the kicking game,” said the PA coach. “It’s the time of year we need to be playing our best ball, and I think we are ready to do that.”
Washington is a run-oriented team, averaging 197 yards per contest and just 46 through the air. Junior Thomas Barr leads the way with 618 yards and nine touchdowns on 98 carries. He has gone over 100 yards four times, including a 113-yard, 3-TD performance last week against Bayou.
“Their run game is much improved so our defense will be challenged for sure. We have to stop the run and not give up any big plays,” McCarty said.
Sophomore linebacker Lawes McCool leads the PA defense with 58 tackles, including six stops for loss and a sack. Sophomore safety Christian Belk has 45 and senior rover Lake Giachelli has 35.
Pillow’s offense has had more success so far this season through the air, with 168 yards per game compared to 111 on the ground.
Junior quarterback Shane Houston Stephens has completed 95 of 173 passes for 1,319 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. Junior Jaden Simcox has a team-high 427 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 22 catches. Junior Alex Lindsey is next with 272 yards and a TD on 18 receptions.
Senior running back Floyd Melton IV is back this week from an ankle injury after missing the Kirk game.
