By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

The Morgan Academy Senators football team will look to bounce back from last week’s loss and improve its playoff hopes when it plays Friday night. The Senators (2-2, 1-1) will head north to Bessemer to play the Bessemer Academy Rebels (5-0, 4-0) in a crucial region contest Friday night at 7 p.m.

Morgan head football coach Brian King said the game is the first in a crucial four-game stretch of the Senators’ season.

“It’s one of four straight region games for us,” King said. “So it’s going to set the tone for the playoffs and how we’ll be seeded. It’s important as far as that aspect goes.”

King said the Senators can’t linger on last week’s 41-6 loss at Edgewood Academy because the game against Bessemer is too important.

“We can’t think about it,” King said. “It’s a new week, it’s a new team. This is a big-time region game for us against a really good opponent. Our players had a good week of practice and everybody’s ready to move on.”

King said the Rebels are a very talented team who will pose a tough challenge for the Senators.

“They’re very talented and have a lot of speed,” King said. “They’re a really good spread team. They’ve gotten a little bit better at running the ball. It’s going to be a tough team to handle, a lot like Edgewood.”

King said he feels his team matches up better with Bessemer, and the Senators will have to make sure they prevent the Rebels from getting outside.

In order to come away with the win, King said the Senators will have to be stable on offense and keep Bessemer’s offense off the field.

“We have to hold on to the ball as far as maintaining possession, sustaining drives and running the clock,” King said. “We’ve got to keep Bessemer off the field as long as possible just because they can make big plays so quick. We feel like if we can hold on to the ball, establish some good drives and get a couple of scores … we’ll have a much better shot at winning the game.”

King said Parker Hughes, who left early in last week’s game with a knee injury, is questionable for Friday’s game and it would be a game-time decision if he plays.