Lake Oconee Academy is currently riding a two-game losing streak after starting the year winning five straight.
The Titans currently sit at 5-2 on the year and 0-1 in region play. After losses to Landmark Christian and Warren County, they are determined to get another win under their belt.
“After losing to Warren, the kids were definitely disappointed,” Lake Oconee head coach Patrick Stewart said. “But I think that fueled them to come into this week with a fresh outlook on things.”
The Titans now turn the page to another region foe as Lincoln County comes to town. The Red Devils enter this game undefeated, having won 34-0 over Washington Wilkes the last time they played.
“They’re a great team, and they’re elite at everything they do,” Stewart said. “It’s going to be a tough matchup.”
Playing good defense will be key for LOA this Friday.
The Titans must shut down the Red Devils’ rushing attack.
“We’ve got to be real disciplined with our defense, especially because they run the Wing-T,” Stewart said. “They do it really, really well, and it’s very deceptive.”
He added that to be able to stop it, they have to line up properly and do their job.
“If we do that every snap, we should be able to hang with them and be in there,” Stewart said.
The Titans were ahead in the second quarter in both games they’ve lost this season, so not allowing that to happen has been a big point for the team.
“This week, we’ve been harping on staying disciplined and not getting too engaged with the scoreboard,” Stewart said. “We’ve just got to keep playing our game.”
This is the first season that the Titans are eligible to win a region championship, and knocking off Lincoln County is a big step in that direction. Class A Division II’s Region 8 is rough, but they still have everything they want right in front of them.
“I think the kids are fueled to finish strong with these next three region games coming up with Lincoln, Greene, and Washington,” Stewart said.
The Titans return to Tucker Field this Friday for the first time in over a month due to cancellations from Hurricane Helene. Kickoff against the Red Devils is set for 7:30 p.m.
“I think we’ll come out firing Friday night,” Stewart said.