“I’ve seen two game films on them and they showed something different in both games,” Hefner explained. “In one game, they used more of a spread offense. The quarterback was in the ‘gun’ with two running backs. But in another game, they looked more like us. The quarterback was under center and they were in the I formation.”

Regardless of which formations they use, Hefner knows the key is quarterback Jackson Spurgeon.

“He is really, really good,” the EHS coach emphasized. “He’s one of the best in our conference. He’s got a strong arm and is very athletic. He can quickly turn broken plays into big plays. He is a real threat and somebody we have to contain.”

The Hearts hope to limit his possessions by controlling the football with their running game.

Last week, EHS ran for a whopping 332 yards, with John Westendorf leading the way. The junior running back carried the ball 20 times for 183 yards and two touchdowns. He had five runs of 10 or more yards, including bursts of 34, 29 and 25 yards. Fellow running back Keegan Baker and quarterback Tanner Pontious combined for another 100 yards on the ground.

“That’s just the way we have to play,” Hefner noted. “But we also have to be more efficient in the passing game. Last week we got to throw more when we wanted to, not just when we had to. But we have to be better at it.”

Pontious was 8-for-13 through the air for 67 yards and a touchdown against Charleston. Through three games, he is 14-for-32 for 183 yards. He has thrown two touchdowns and one interception. In the first two games, he didn’t receive much pass protection, resulting in being sacked eight times. The Hearts didn’t allow the Trojans to record a sack last week.

“Improving our passing game is the next thing for our offense,” Hefner said. “We will continue to run the football, but to move the ball consistently, we’ll also have to pass it effectively.”

Hefner said the team was in good spirits after securing that first victory, which for many of the first-time starters, was the first varsity win of their careers.

“Winning that first one can be tough,” Hefner admitted. “You can practice all you want, but it’s not the same as handling actual game situations and battling through adversity. Those are things you learn on the field during a game. But now they’ve got the first one and, hopefully, we can build on that.”

Friday night is Military Appreciation Night.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.