JACKSON – Friday night was just a normal Friday night for Oak Grove’s Drew Causey and his coaches. They got back to the fieldhouse after a game, started laundry and popped in the film from the game Oak Grove just played a few hours prior.
There were a couple of differences Friday compared to prior games, though. For one, Causey got an ice bath as the seconds ticked down in Oak Grove’s win over Brandon. Secondly, the win sent the Warriors to the 6A State Championship.
So, instead of just watching the film from Oak Grove’s win over Brandon, the coaches popped in Horn Lakes, too. Other than that, the weekend was more normal than some might think. Causey got home around 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning, then got a few hours of sleep before his son woke him up for breakfast.
“Probably the biggest difference was returning a lot of phone calls and text messages,” he said. “A lot of people were reaching out wanting to congratulate us, so that was probably the biggest difference from the weekend. I got up Sunday, went to church and to work at the normal time, so we’re just getting ready like normal.”
From a player’s point of view, senior defensive end Jack Harris said the bus ride home from Brandon was as exciting as ever, especially after the 21-10 win over the Bulldogs.
“The bus ride was so hyped,” Harris said Monday. “We were all ecstatic about the win, and it still doesn’t seem real with the whole championship thing. We’re ready to go out there, do our thing and do it for our city.”
Harris was one of three Oak Grove teammates who joined Causey along with a couple of Oak Grove coaches and administrators Monday at the MHSAA Football State Championship press conference at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in Jackson. Senior defensive back Jarius Reimonenq and senior quarterback John Rhys Plumlee were also there to represent the Warriors.
Usually, Mondays are routine for most football teams. Players go to school, then practice and home. There’s probably more running during Monday practices, too, but no Monday, other than state championship week, begins with a statewide press conference in Jackson.
For Reimonenq, it’s just an indicator that his team is in the state championship.
“It’s really happening and this is kind of letting you know that it’s really happening,” he said. “We have to be ready. It’s going to be here sooner rather than later.”
As far as enjoying the festivities, there’s a balancing act that’s required. Causey didn’t have an answer when asked how he was going to handle it, but instead said to ask him at the end of the week. He’ll have an answer then.
“From just the couple of people who have called, they’ve said I have to try and enjoy the week, but you want to go out and play your best football game,” Causey said. “I think I can figure out a way to enjoy it (Monday) and when we get to practice, we’ll be locked in and ready to go. We’re going to keep our same routine, our same practice and things like that.”
With the state championship games in Hattiesburg, Oak Grove’s weekly schedule won’t change much. The Warriors will practice normally Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, then visit local elementary schools like they do every Friday morning before Friday night games.
Causey didn’t exactly know the rest of the schedule for Friday when asked Monday, saying the team will figure that out later in the afternoon, but it is nice knowing the game Friday night is being played six miles down the road at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
“We don’t have to worry about if we should or should not get a hotel room,” Causey said. “We get to sleep in our beds and I think we’re going to have a heck of a crowd, so we’re excited about that. I hope we pack that visitor side out.”
Kickoff for Friday’s 6A State Championship between Oak Grove and Horn Lake is set for 7 p.m.
