After a rough start to the year, the Patriots look for their first region victory against Calera.
Falling short against both John Carroll and Vestavia in their first two games, the Patriots then lost their first region game against Helena last week.
But for junior linebacker Talton Thomas, this challenging start makes Homewood a dangerous team.
“We have our backs against the walls and have nothing to lose,” he said.
With Calera coming up, there is no better time to turn up the heat and get the season headed in the right direction.
Senior Jaxon Brooks, the 10th ranked offensive lineman in the state of Alabama, on the team’s plan for this game.
“We just want to run the ball down their throats,” Brooks said. “We need to really establish the ground game this week.”
Brooks understands his responsibility as a leader on this team, given his preseason rating as a top player in his position.
“I’ve just got make sure I’m doing my job while keeping the guys around up too.”
On the defensive side, Thomas emphasized the team’s execution as a key to finding success.
“We’re just going to go out there and play,” he said. “We are going to keep making plays and really put the pressure on.”
Similar to Thomas, Brooks said the defensive side of the ball was going to be a vital part of the game and believes they have the ability to take control of the game.
Thomas also referenced the old adage that the best defense is a good offense.
“For us, we really love it when our offense is efficient,” Thomas said. “As much as we love to make plays, we need those guys to get points on the board consistently so we don’t have a lot of pressure.”
To take full control of the game, both Brooks and Thomas said that as much as it’s on the individuals, it’s on the seniors to take control and set the tone.
The Patriots’ confidence has not yet taken a hit despite a slow start to the campaign, and the team leaders are putting that on their shoulders.
“I think we have nothing to lose,” Brooks said. “We feel great about the game and what we can do.”