Deerfield-Windsor, Terrell Academy preparing for what’s ahead

With playoff position determined by region standings alone, games played at this point of the season don’t count so much for GISA football teams.

The benefits drawn from playing quality opponents in late August and early September, however, can go a long way toward getting ready for those all-important region contests down the road.

Both Deerfield-Windsor (1-1) and Terrell Academy (2-1) are focusing on player and team development right now. Neither team has a region game scheduled until the end of September, so there is plenty of room for learning opportunities.

They meet at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in Dawson.

“We’ve learned a lot the last few weeks, and Terrell is a good football team,” Deerfield-Windsor head coach Allen Lowe said. “We hope to improve ourselves, that’s the main thing.

“We’re trying to find our identity so we can play our best football a month from now.”

Those learning opportunities come in the form of games against opponents who are going to stick around for awhile come the postseason.

In Deerfield-Windsor’s case, that test came last week against perennial Florida private school power North Florida Christian.

The Knights fell to 0-7 all-time against North Florida Christian last Friday with a 21-0 loss.

“Physically, I saw some decent play,” Lowe said. “Mentally, we’re a long way from where we need to be. We held North Florida to negative rushing yards in the first half, but in the second half we just couldn’t generate opportunities.”

Terrell Academy, meanwhile, has games the next two weeks against currently unbeaten teams: Sept. 8 at Southland and Sept. 15 at home against Tiftarea. The Eagles are coming off a 27-20 win last week at Heritage.

“We have four linemen who haven’t been playing, but we’re going to start getting them back in the next week or two,” Terrell Academy head coach Bill Mitchell said. “We just hope to get better and better each week until region.

“I’m proud of how our kids have played. They’ve had great attitude and effort.”