For Apalachee High School football coach Shane Davis, this week is rivalry week for his team.
However, Davis also knows the game is one of 10 Region 8-AAAA contests and he will do his best to emphasize that to his players as they prepare to host Winder-Barrow High School Friday at 7:30 p.m.
“We don’t try to downplay the rivarly,” Davis said. “I do let them know that it is another one of our region games and that is the really important thing about it.”
In the past, when AHS and WBHS were not in the same region, the Wildcat coach was able to tell his players defeating the cross county Bulldoggs should not be the highlight of the season. Rather, qualifying for the playoffs and doing well in region should be a higher priority.
With the two schools now in the same region, Davis knows the importance is the game is higher although he will do his best to emphasize it is another in a line of 8-AAAA matchups.
“Trying to downplay it completely is probably impossible,” Davis said as he began preparations for the game dubbed the Battle of Barrow. “Once it gets closer every one will be talking and the community has really gotten involved.”
The AHS coach, whose team took a 51-6 win last fall, said the local rivalry is a good thing in many aspects.
“It’s good for the community and it’s good for the schools and good for school spirit,” Davis said. “Both sides will be excited by the time kickoff arrives. There will be a good crowd and that always adds to the excitement.”
On the field, Davis said calling WBHS “an improved football team” is really an understatement.
“They are 1-3, but all their games have really been close,” the Wildcat mentor said. “Even in the Cedar Shoals game which they lost 39-13, the score was 19-13 late in the second and Winder-Barrow had the football driving inside Cedar territory. They lost right at the end to a Madison County team who has shown how strong they are and they had another close one last Friday with Habersham Central.”
Tackling well in the open field will be vital for the AHS defense, Davis said.
“They do well with their spread offense getting the football to their key players,” the coach said. “We will need to be physical on defense to slow them down. We will need to control the football and hope to keep it out of their hands for as long as possible.”
The Bulldoggs have been close to breaking through in several games and Davis said when a team does that it’s only a matter of time before victories follow.
“Sooner or later something good is going to happen for them,” the coach said. “I just hope it takes them another week to make it happen.”
