Putnam County will face its toughest regular-season test this Friday at Lamar County in a big region tilt. The War Eagles (4-4, 2-1 Class A Division I — Region 4) and the Trojans (6-1, 3-0) are battling to win the region championship.
This game could help determine the champion as the season winds down.
“They’ve got some good talent on both sides of the ball,” Putnam coach Joel Harvin said. “A lot of their guys play both ways. They’re very similar to us in wanting to run the ball first and use guys on each side of the ball. They’re very athletic, very solid on defense, very physical on the offensive side. So, you know we’ve got our work cut out for us, and we expect to have a big week of practice. This is a big game.”
Harvin has prepared his players for this moment, though. They know what’s on the line.
“It’s not necessarily something that we’ll do out of the ordinary, but it’s going to hype the kids up because it’s a big game,” Harvin said. “We’re right here in the running to possibly win the region, and we’ve got to get this win and get the next win, and then we’re sitting pretty. Our kids realize that. We’ve been preaching to them about having a playoff mentality. Every game from here on to the end of the season should be a playoff mentality game. We should approach it as such.”
Lamar County isn’t a pushover, though. The Trojans have won three straight coming into this game.
According to Harvin, the War Eagles and Lamar County are similar in what they do schematically.
The Trojans have multiple players they rely on, including junior Kaden Carter, who has rushed for a team-high 462 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Zyquavius Hughley has also been productive, totaling 309 yards and four touchdowns. Lamar County averages 211.6 yards per game on the ground.
Putnam’s defense has taken a turn for the better in the last two games, giving up only 14 points. But to win this game, the War Eagles must stop the run. Their front seven has to be on their toes.
“We made changes on the defensive side of the ball a few weeks ago as far as scheme, and I think that has helped our [younger] guys on the field,” Harvin said. “They’re getting that experience under their belt. They’re getting used to [the varsity level]. They’re making mistakes, but we’re fixing them. We’re not making as many as we did three or four weeks ago.”
Offensively, Putnam County has found its identity despite starting quarterback Jamarion Robertson, who was out with an injury. Backups Branan Griffin and Ethan Whatley have helped fill the offense’s void under center.
Senior running back Rashod Daniel, Griffin, and Whatley will be tasked with moving the ball against a tough Lamar defensive front. The Trojans are giving up only 9.9 points per game.
Harvin believes his team has found its footing and is peaking at the right time. Putnam is riding a two-game winning streak while outscoring its opponents 117-14 heading into this week’s region matchup.
“I think what we did early on in the year matters. But right here in these few weeks, and how well our team is playing, getting ready to make the playoffs is what’s important,” Harvin said. “So, I feel good about where we’re at. I think that we’ll see what we’re made out of come Friday.”