Pillow Academy and Carroll Academy have had great regular seasons so far and can boost its playoff seedings with strong showings.
The Rebels (7-2) host Central Holmes in Carrollton at 7 Friday. With a win here, the Rebels will end up in second place in District 2-3A behind Winona Christian and take the No. 5 seed in the 12-team state playoff bracket. If Central Holmes wins and Glenbrook beats Greenville Christian, the Rebels will slide to the No. 6 spot but still play at home in the opening round.
Carroll’s two losses have come in heartbreaking fashion for coach Bo Milton and his troops. The Rebels’ first loss came Sept. 13, an 8-6 decision in overtime to Tri-County, and the second was Oct. 4, 48-46 to rival Winona Christian in double overtime.
“That’s just football for you,” Milton said. “We are two plays, and four points, from being undefeated. The best way to make up for that is to get things rolling in the postseason.”
Senior quarterback Morgan Mims leads an offense that is averaging 39.1 points per contest — the second most in Class 3A behind powerhouse Greenville St. Joseph at 49.7.
For CA, Mims does much of the damage with his legs, rushing for 1,494 yards and 23 TDs so far this season.
Central Holmes, under the direction of former Pillow Academy assistant Jim Crowder, is 6-3 after a 56-28 blowout win over Oak Hill.
The Trojans have won four straight since a 27-11 defeat at the hands of Indianola Academy.
Pillow: The Mustangs can wrap up a fourth overall seed in the state 5A playoffs and a first-round bye as well with a win over struggling Bayou Academy Thursday in Cleveland.
Pillow (7-2) faces a Bayou team that is 1-8 and has been outscored 338-94 this season. The Colts limp in riding a seven-game losing skid. Their lone win came on Aug. 30, a 7-0 decision over Lee Academy.
“There is a lot to play for this week. Outside of the obvious battle to lockdown that first-round bye, we want to contine to play good football as we head into the postseason,” said the PA coach.
A victory Friday would also match the Mustangs’ best win total (8) in a season under the sixth-year head coach.
The Mustangs come in averaging 37.4 points a game — thanks mainly to a dymanic passing attack led by senior signal caller Shane Houston Stephens. The 6-foot-3, 196-pound senior has completed 138 of 220 passes and ranks third in the state with 2,228 passing yards.
He now holds the school’s all-time career passing mark, shattering Stewart Patridge’s mark from the early 1990s. Stephens entered the year needing just 1,143 yards and now has doubled that with at least two games left to play. Obviously, Stephens and the Mustangs are hoping for four more games and a shot at the program’s first state crown since 2010.
“There is not a whole lot to say about Shane that hasn’t already been said,” McCarty said. “He continues to have a brillant career here at Pillow.”
Stephens has tossed 21 touchdowns and had seven passes picked off, while adding 207 rushing yards and three TDs.
His top two targets are a pair of seniors — Jaden Simcox and Jack Reichle.
Simcox has the most receiving yards (833), with 40 catches and seven touchdowns. Reichle has 42 grabs for 542 yards and eight touchdowns and has also developed into a threat at running back.
Stephens has thrown TD passes to six different teammates.
Defensively, senior linebacker Seth Hollis has taken over the lead in tackles after recording 15 vs. Magnolia Heights last week. He has a team-high 59 stops. Junior safety Christian Belk is tied with junior linebacker Lawes McCool with 49, while senior linebacker Sam Harris is at 48 after missing significant playing time last week wtih a foot injury.
Harris is expected to take the night off against Bayou and try to heal up for the playoffs, McCarty said.
nContact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com. Follow on Twitter:@Bill_Burrus.
