Across the state, every team gets an open date on the first Friday of November before the GHSA state football playoffs begin.
By the time that day crosses over the calendar, Jones County’s postseason fate will be decided. Whether the Greyhounds are home, away or even in the playoffs, all of that will be decided by what happens the next two weeks after last week’s open date.
JCHS plays Friday at Eagles Landing before next Friday’s senior night against Locust Grove. If the Greyhounds win on Friday, it would set up a shot at the minimum, a share of the region title against Locust Grove. On the other side of the coin is that, depending on multiple scenarios, a loss could put JCHS out of the playoffs altogether.
“We’re treating this week just like the playoffs; it’s fight or flight,” Greyhounds head coach Justin Montgomery said. “If you lose, you’re out. If you win, you move on. That’s how we view it.” Jones County, along with the rest of the region, had an open date last week ahead of a key two-game sprint to the finish.
“We work really hard and treat every week like it’s our Super Bowl, so it’s hard to increase our workload. But with the extra time, we are able to jump ahead and increase our workflow,” Montgomery said.
“The hay is never in the barn, so the longer you have, the more time you have to get it in.”
Last week afforded Jones County time to not just heal up from injuries but also use four days’ worth of work to zero in on the basics just in time for the make-or-break portion of its schedule.
“The main thing is to still focus on our fundamentals and getting good at the details,” Montgomery said. “We always talk about doing simple better. You hear Kirby Smart say it, and we believe in it.”
