Pillow Academy’s regular-season finale will have no impact at all on its playoff positioning.
So Tripp McCarty enters Friday’s game at Magnolia Heights with mixed feelings on his approach, knowing he needs to rest some of his key players for what he hopes is a state championship run. But on the other hand, the PA head coach wants his team to win to keep momentum heading into the postseason.
McCarty said the first reaction is to say nothing will change on how a coach prepares his team for a game, but he realizes there is a bigger picture.
“Any time they turn on the scoreboard, you want to win, but at the same time we have to look ahead to the postseason. We will have to figure out what is the best fix for us,” said McCarty, whose team has won four of its last five.
Pillow (6-3) wrapped up the North AAAA, Division II title last week with a 37-14 rout of Jackson Academy, and in doing so, also nailed down the No. 3 seed in the state playoffs and a first-round home game next week against No. 6-seed East Rankin.
“In what I have seen, there is nothing that can happen Friday night that will change anything for us next week in the playoffs,” McCarty said. “Knowing that makes things different for sure.
“Our starters have played a lot of snaps the last three weeks, and that’s something we have to consider moving forward.”
Magnolia Heights (2-7) is out to snap a seven-game losing skid on Senior Night.
“They have noting to lose. I expect them to play with a lot of emotion, and they have a quarterback (Easton Van Every ) who can hurt you. He can make something out of absolutely nothing,” said the PA head coach.
