Porter’s Chapel Academy, wisely, did not hit the panic button after an 0-2 start. The reward for patience and hard work has been back-to-back wins that turned momentum in the right direction, and hopes for a bonafide winning streak as the season approaches the halfway point.

The Eagles (2-2) will go for their third win in a row Friday at 7 p.m. when Humphreys Academy (2-1) visits for homecoming.

“Any time you win, the morale goes up. I think it helps our guys get back to what they believe and what they know they can be. It validates the process,” PCA coach Blake Purvis said. “We knew it was going to be tough early on as we were getting some guys reps. Having back-to-back wins validates that process, and these guys continue to believe they can be the football team that they’re capable of being.”

The driving force behind PCA’s resurgence has been a marked improvement on the defensive side of the football. After giving up 132 points in the first two games, PCA allowed 14 in the last two.

Purvis said it stemmed from young players getting their feet under them and gaining confidence after struggling early.

“We knew we were going to take some bumps along the way as those guys were adjusting to the speed of the game and getting used to playing bigger roles than they had,” Purvis said. “We saw some things the first couple weeks that we really needed to work on, but we got after it in practice the last couple of weeks that I guess we flipped the switch on and started to figure out. It was an evolution of getting guys reps and them figuring out how to do some things.”

PCA’s last two opponents have a combined 1-6 record, but Humphreys should provide a stiffer challenge. The Rebels outscored Kemper Academy and Newton County Academy 82-20 in two wins, and held their own against defending MAIS Class 2A champion DeSoto School in their one loss.

Humphreys picked up several transfers from Sharkey-Issaquena Academy after that school canceled its season because of lack of participation. Purvis said the additions added to a talented group of returning players to make a team that is much improved from last season’s 2-8 record.

“Humphreys was a young football team last year. We expected them to be vastly improved with a lot of guys returning, and then the addition of four players from Sharkey really elevated them again to another level,” he said. “We knew the whole time this would be a challenge and a tough week, and they were going to be ready to play. We’ve got a good football team we’ve got to prepare for on Friday.”

FRIDAY’S AREA GAMES
All games start at 7 p.m.
Natchez at Vicksburg (Radio: 107.7 FM)
Warren Central at Germantown (Radio: 105.5 FM)
Tri-County at St. Aloysius (Radio: 101.3 FM)
Humphreys Academy at Porter’s Chapel (Radio: 104.5 FM)
Tallulah Academy at Union Christian