Both Oak Grove and Hattiesburg come off victories that were decided late in their respective games, which sets up an exciting edition of this year’s Battle for the ‘Burg.
Oak Grove (2-0) went on the road and defeated Alabama powerhouse Hoover 28-21 in overtime. It’s the first time Hoover has started the season 0-2 since 2014.
Yet what makes the Warriors’ win slightly more impressive is the adversity the team dealt with off the field as their bus broke down twice on the way to the game. The breakdowns made their team late for its dinner and gave them just 30 minutes to dress before taking the field for warmups on Friday.
“I’m proud of us because of all the adversity we faced,” Oak Grove coach Drew Causey said. “It was hectic, and then it rained all the way through the third quarter. I was really proud of our kids and how they fought and battled the whole day.”
Hattiesburg comes off a 37-28 victory against rival Laurel, which saw the Tigers overcome an early 12-0 deficit while also being penalized 20 times.
“It was a lot of self-inflicted wounds,” Hattiesburg coach Tony Vance said. “Some of the penalties were earned, and some were probably an overzealous official, to be honest. It was definitely way too many penalties. It was a lack of execution in the first half. I give our guys credit. Our coaches made adjustments. Our kids came a lot better and played a lot harder. I think in the fourth quarter we imposed our will and took control of the game.
“We have to be better at (discipline). We have to get it fixed, and we have to be better at it. It’s just that simple.”
It’s been four years since the Tigers have beaten Oak Grove, which is something Vance is more than aware of.
“It’s been a while (since we won),” Vance said. “It would be huge for our team this year to upset those guys. I’m sure they are going to be the heavy favorites.
“They are a well-coached football team. They have tremendous athletes over there. They don’t do a lot to beat themselves. They are not a heavily penalized team, and so those kids are playing disciplined football.”
Vance and Causey highlighted similar things about each team, which were quarterback play, talented skill players and linemen.
For Oak Grove, quarterback AJ Maddox has thrown five touchdowns and 311 yards on the season, along with his talented wide receiver corps.
“It starts with the quarterback,” Vance said. “He can make any throw on the field under pressure. He can avoid the rush with his legs. But I think they have playmakers all over the field. They make you cover from sideline to sideline. They always have a threat vertically with their speed. They are a team that makes you defend the whole field both horizontally and vertically.”
One of the most intriguing matchups will be Hattiesburg’s offensive line, which averages nearly 300 pounds, going up against the Warriors’ defensive line, which has three different players with Division I offers.
“That’s probably the best five defensive linemen we’ll see all year,” Vance said. “They bring a lot of pressure, a lot of size and speed. They will probably be or at least one of the best defensive lines we play all year.”
Causey is quick to point out that Hattiesburg quarterback Deuce Vance’s experience as a three-year starter makes him valuable and is something his team can’t overlook.
“It’s his third year starting,” Causey said. “He has a lot of talent and throws a really good ball. He’s athletic and runs well. He’s a coach’s kid, so you know what they want to do offensively and how they want to attack.
“There are a lot of athletes all over the field. They have a heck of a wideout and are big on the offensive line and defensive line.”
Kevin Oatis, a 4-star recruit by 247sports, is a defensive lineman with Causey’s attention as well.
“He’s very similar to the guys that we have on our defensive line,” Causey said. “He can be dominant and control that side of the line. BJ Mitchell at linebacker, is also really talented. On the backend, they have a bunch of athletes that can run real well.
“We’ll have our work cut out for us. As I said (last) Friday, we have to get off cloud nine and get ready to play another physical ball game.”
Hattiesburg will host Oak Grove at D.I. Patrick Stadium at 7 p.m.
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