The W.S. Neal Eagles will face off against the Milton Panthers Thursday in a match Coach Doug Hoehn believes will create a working improvement plan heading into regular season play next week in Atmore.
“I think it is going to be a good preseason game for us,” Hoehn said of the game which will not count in the team’s standings. “(Milton) is a larger school with a lot of football players. They will be able to stay fresh all game long. They are a big team with a lot of athletes.”
Hoehn and his staff will use the night to determine areas of needed improvement in working toward next week’s game against Escambia County.
“I like playing a team that is a little higher in competition,” he said, of the team that if in Alabama would be considered a 6A team. “It lets you know what you need to work on quickly to have it resolved by the first game. I expect them to show us our weaknesses.”
Hoehn elected for the kickoff classic-style opener after a ruling by the Alabama High School Athletic Association reduced the amount of full contact practice time during the summer. Athletes were allowed no more than 90 minutes per week of full contact, 11-on-11 practices beginning the first week of August. Prior to the new ruling there was no time limit set on full contact practices.
“We feel like we are a little short just in our preparation because of the changes that were mandated,” Hoehn said. “I don’t know how much it will impact us, but we will wait and see.”
Milton and WSN have never faced off against each other on the football field.
Former WSN head coach Kevin Jordan is the defensive coordinator for the Panthers.
Jordan was the head coach at WSN from 2009-10 and went 2-18 overall. Jordan went 2-8 in 2009 and 0-10 in 2010.
Hoehn replaced Jordan and is starting his fifth season at WSN.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. Thursday in Milton.