Bragging rights in a rivalry game like these last for 365 days.
But it’s been more than 1,400 days since Pillow Academy celebrated a victory over nearby Indianola Academy.
The Colonels have pretty much owned the series since it was renewed in 2013. IA has won the last four meetings, with PA winning just once (40-6 in 2014) in the last six meetings in this rivalry.
“We’ve been on the short end of things recently, but our kids are ready for the challenge. It’s not personal, it never is. But everyone knows everyone, from the fans to the players to the coaches, so it makes it special,” said PA head coach Tripp McCarty.
Coming in at 1-0 after beating Jackson Academy 26-21, the Mustangs are on a mission to end their losing skid and at the same time snap IA’s 49-game win streak at home.
Linebacker Jacob Bush is one of 16 Mustang seniors who says this streak must end on this senior class' watch. Those guys were in the seventh grade the last time Pillow beat the Colonels.
“This one means a lot to us seniors and the whole team. To get us back on top in this rivalry and hand them their first loss at home since 2012 would be awesome,” Bush said. “But we know it won’t be easy; it never is with those guys.”
Pillow Academy has lived with four years of frustration when it's come to Indianola Academy.
Indianola has reached the state AAA championship game in each of the last four seasons and is a solid contender again this season.
Indianola is breaking in a new quarterback in Thomas Putnam but will have two experienced running backs returning to lead the run-heavy offense in Woods Toler and James Hill. All receivers are new this year for the Colonels.
Defensively, Indianola has four starters back but must replace all of the linebacker positions. Peyton Barnes and Ashton Powell return to lead the front seven, while Spencer Roberson along with Brandon Brown and Houston Danna will anchor the secondary.
There are 13 positions on last season’s 12-2 squad which were vacated by graduation.
It is at quarterback where IA has a glaring hole to fill after the departure of three-year starter and All-State selection Will Davis.
Despite the challenge of filling those holes, IA coach Tommy Nester, who is entering his 14th season as the school’s head coach, said, “We expect to get better every week.”
“They have some new faces, but we know we’re still facing a good, well-coached team that will be highly motivated,” McCarty said. “I expect our guys to match their intensity which should make for a fun high school football atmosphere.”
IA opened the season with a 21-14 win over Bayou, which also competes in the newly formed Class 5A alongside Pillow.
Quarterback is not a question mark for the Mustangs with senior Shane Houston Stephens running the show. The PA record-setting signal caller, however, didn’t have his best outing last week against a tough JA secondary with three interceptions. He did offset that with two touchdown passes.
“We had a lot of stuff to clean up off the film across the board, but, yes, we have to protect the ball better — and we will,” McCarty said.
One question mark coming into the season for McCarty was his team’s run defense, but if last Friday is any indication, the Mustangs have made solid strides in that department. They held JA to just 61 yards on the ground.
“Defensively, we were flying around and played with great speed. That was the difference having six or seven guys, sometimes all 11, right there around the ball,” McCarty said.
He expects the Colonels to challenge the middle of his run defense with a downhill style of attack. If the Colonels don’t have more success than JA, the streak could come crashing down.
The original version of this article incorrectly referred to Jacob Bush by his father's name, Chris.
• Contact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com. Follow on Twitter:@Bill_Burrus.
