Lincoln Preparatory School faces a big game and a tough challenge as Panthers play at Ouachita Christian Thursday night.

OCS stands at 8-1 overall and 3-0 District 2-1A while the Panthers are 3-6 and 1-2 in district play. 

The Eagles also stand at No. 1 in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 1A football polls and third in GeauxPreps.com’s Division IV Select School Power Ratings.

Lincoln Prep is coming off its most disappointing game of the week in last week’s 55-0 loss at Cedar Creek. Cedar Creek held the Panthers to 58 yards of offense and didn’t allow Lincoln Prep  to get its initial of two total first downs until there were only five minutes remaining in the contest.

Panthers coach Glen Hall said he team had turned in a solid week of practice before disappearing on the field from the opening kickoff against the Cougars.

Now he’s working on not letting that happen again this week at OCS.

“We’ve had good practices. We don’t really have bad practices. That’s why I get so surprised when that doesn’t carry over to the games. “

“The players are out there working hard,” Hall said. “They’re enthusiastic. Then it just disappears come game time. We got a lot done. We did mainly defense (Monday) and worked on offense (Tuesday). The team was focused. We just have to find a way to keep that same attitude when an actual game kicks off.”

Lincoln Prep currently stands at No. 24 in GeauxPreps.com’s Division IV Select School Power Ratings, which would get them into the playoffs at this point.

“Playing a team as good and highly-ranked like OCS, hopefully even if we lose it won’t hurt us that much,” Hall said. “I don’t think we would drop. What we need is for somebody we played to win a game and with them playing River Oaks, we can hopefully at least end up 23rd. They (River Oaks) jumped up over us, but barely.”

River Oaks is playing undefeated Glenbrook on Thursday, so if the Mustangs can’t pull off a stunning upset, that match-up should play out in Lincoln Prep’s favor.

“If the teams that beat us all win, we should be in,” Hall said. “And in all honesty, I’d love to be in that 23rd spot,” Hall said. “That might get us another shot at St. Frederick.”

OCS is coming off a 49-18 win over Mississippi’s West Marion High School. But West Marion trailed only 21-12 at halftime of that contest, and reviewing film Hall saw some things that make him believe that if he can get his Panthers to focus from the get-go, they might be able to at least push the Eagles on Thursday.

“They played a team last week that kind of hung with them for a while,” Hall said. “That team ran quick slants, they ran the ball inside on them, they played offense a lot like we do, and it worked for a little while.

“OCS had a fight on their hands. They actually didn’t pull away until midway through the third quarter after they ran a punt return back.”

Hall said he believes his Panthers won’t back down.

“I was up until 2:30 (Tuesday) morning looking at film and game planning,” Hall said. “OCS is a great team. But anybody can be beaten on a given night. I’m going in there trying to win.

“We’re going to go out guns blazing. And I’m sure (OCS coach Steven Fitzhugh) is telling his team that we’re going to be going in there with nothing to lose, so he’ll have his team motivated.”

Playing a perennial powerhouse won’t be anything new for the Panthers, who last year played in the same district as Haynesville and defending Class 1A nonselect school champion Homer among others

“Last year we played district games against Calvary (Baptist), Haynesville and Homer,” Hall said. “My older guys have played in games like this before. But to be honest, I don’t really know how they’ll react against OCS.

“I don’t understand why my older guys haven’t stepped up more this season. It’s a mental thing. So all we can do is work hard to prepare and hope that they come out with that same attitude they’ve shown in practices and that they’ll be ready to go. They’ve capable. But they have to want it. That’s what I keep on preaching.”

Hall said for those seniors Panthers, the time is now.

“It’s now or never,” Hall said. “I told them (Monday), ‘Look, I’m coming to work every day. I’m watching film until late every night like I always do, because I expect them to go in there and produce. I need them to execute. I need them to work at it like I do. I need them to want it like I do and like all the coaches do.

“Last week, Cedar Creek’s main thing was that they took away (Panthers receiver/quarterback and running back) Brandon Heard. They were all over him. So I tried to use him as a decoy and started motioning him to the back side. But my other receivers and backs didn’t step up and take advantage of that.”

Hall hopes he can get into his players’ heads and pull out a strong performance against OCS.

“I called one of our key seniors in today and asked him how he wants to be remembered,” Hall said. “Because out of the 12 or 13 seniors we have, most of them will never play another down of football again.

“All of our seniors need to figure out how they want to be remembered, because it’s now or never.”

https://lincolnparishjournal.com/2022/11/02/panthers-look-for-better-execution-against-ocs/