Lake Oconee Academy will travel to George Walton Academy’s Bulldog Stadium for the Titans’ 7:30 kickoff in the team’s season opener.
• Series History: George Walton Academy leads the series, 1-0.
• Last Meeting: George Walton Academy defeated Lake Oconee Academy 42-6 in 2022. The Titans will travel to Monroe after the Bulldogs came into Titan Stadium last season and scored 42 unanswered points.
LOA is now in its second season under head coach Patrick Stewart, and after seeing them at events over the offseason, his team is very familiar with George Walton Academy.
After watching hours of film, Stewart acknowledged that it’s important for the Titans’ coaching staff to make sure their game plan is sound, so that his players are put in positions to make plays.
“They are 90-percent run, so their game plan will be to try and move the ball on the ground and power it down your throat with some very physical linemen,” Stewart said. “It’s kind of an unconventional offense, so this week we’re really preparing for all the looks that they’ll give us. They do a lot of unbalanced looks, so putting our guys in the right spots will be key for us to win this game.”
Last season, Lake Oconee Academy’s defense struggled to stop the run, and George Walton Academy’s rush-heavy attack benefited. The Bulldogs had only 27 yards through the air, but they rushed for 317 yards with seven different players, with six scoring touchdowns.
The Titans’ defensive line learned from that experience, and now, comes into this season’s contest hungry for redemption.
Offensively, Stewarts’ squad found most of its success on the ground; however, 68 of the team’s 97 rushing yards graduated in Sumner Coleman. Lake Oconee Academy will rely on returning players, such as Dylan Hiter, Cameron Kelley, and Reid Davis for production on the ground.
With junior Ike O’Neal under center, the Titans will be able to utilize their playmakers through the air. Tight ends Mason Salemi and Keenan Parham will complement the teams’ wide receiver room for a more balanced attack on offense.
With the regular season now underway, Stewart has his squad following a set schedule each week, so they know what to expect heading into game days.
“With the way the heat has been, it’s been kind of crazy. We’ve had to start later some days this week because of that, but usually, we’ll start with the film of the game prior to that week on Mondays,” Stewart said. “Tuesdays are our ‘Toughness Tuesdays’, where we get after it and get physical. Wednesdays are like Mondays where we aren’t going to the ground, and then Thursdays are walkthrough days to prepare for Fridays.”
Lake Oconee Academy won only one game on the road in Stewart’s first season at the helm, so they hope they can start this season off with one later tonight.