QUITMAN —
So far, things have gone well for the Brooks County football team.
The Trojans have started the season 3-0, including their first-ever win over Valdosta, and are now ranked No. 2 in Class AA. The No. 2 ranking is Brooks’ highest in several years, and the 3-0 start is the Trojans’ best since they started the 2009 season with three consecutive wins.
“Things are going well,” Brooks County head coach Maurice Freeman said. “We’d like for the entire season to be like (the first three games). We’re 3-0 right now, going in to play Mitchell. I think we’ve played some good football, but hopefully the best football is still in front of us.”
Freeman is glad his team is ranked No. 2, but says, “I’d like to be No. 1 or No. 2 in week 15. That will mean something to me. It will mean (my team) will be playing for a state title.”
The Trojans’ coach says the team has to keep improving if it wants to contend for a Region 1-AA championship and go deep in the playoffs. So the team continues to work to get better. On Wednesday, the Trojans were still on the practice field when the clock reached 7 p.m.
“We’ve been working hard, and having a good time,” Freeman said. “We’ve had a couple of good weeks of practice. We had that off week last week, and we worked them real hard. A lot of fundamentals (and) trying to get the game plan ready for Mitchell.”
“We’re still trying to figure some things out on offense,” he added. “We’re trying to be a big gang-tackling group on defense. We need to force more turnovers on defense. Offensively, I’d like to see us put up some more points. So we’re not where we want to be, but we’re happy to be where we are.”
Brooks will try to continue its success this week, when it travels to Camilla to face Mitchell County. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The Trojans know they can’t afford to overlook the Eagles.
“The worst thing in the world (would be) to go beat a great team like Valdosta, then get upset by a single-A team. We’re very cautious, and we’re just trying to stay focused,” Freeman said.
Mitchell has started the season 1-2, with losses to Clinch County (a team Brooks beat 43-3) and Albany (32-18) and a 13-0 win over Pelham, Brooks’ newest Region 1-AA rival.
“They run a pistol offense,” Freeman said. “Their quarterback (Bruce Bryant) and their running backs (Jaquan Williams, Anthony Muarry and Terry Emanuel) are good players.”
Brooks has a 20-24 lifetime record against Mitchell County and Mitchell-Baker (the school was called Mitchell-Baker from 1981-2006), but the Trojans have won their last six games against the Eagles, and have lost only once to them since 1994.
Trojans kicker Daniel Hodum was injured in the fourth quarter of Brooks’ victory over Valdosta two weeks ago when a VHS player plowed into him during a field goal attempt. The ensuing roughing the kicker penalty gave Brooks a first down and led to the winning touchdown, but Hodum had to be carried off the field and did not return. But he has been able to practice this week, and will play on Friday.
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Related Photos
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Brooks County wide receiver Exavius Medlock (10) runs down the field after making a catch against Valdosta earlier this month. Medlock and the undefeated Trojans will travel to Mitchell County this Friday. Paul Leavy | Special to The Times
Discussion
Good start for Brooks County
The Trojans are 3-0, No. 2 in AA
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Win or go home
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HOOPER: An early look at the 2013 football season
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