The Battle of Barrow will be hosted at Winder-Barrow High School for the first time since 2008 this Friday.
The second matchup between Shane Davis and David Wagner will be contested during Winder-Barrow’s senior night on a season that has been frustrating to say the least.
Winder-Barrow enters Friday night 0-8 and on the heels of a 22- game losing streak. A win for the ‘Doggs over their cross town rivals on senior night would be monumental.
Apalachee has won the last three contests between the bitter rivals.
The Wildcats come into the game 3-5, clinging to playoff hopes, however minor.
What better time for Winder-Barrow to pick up its first win under coach Wagner than when playing the team that he used to coach for?
The Bulldoggs’ only hope might be in their running game. Jamonte Riden is the feature back for the Bulldoggs which has put out some great performances throughout the season.
The Wildcats will have to focus on stopping Riden on Friday night.
Junior Chad Platt has come onto the scene with big time runs in the last two games. He is definitely one of the fastest players on the field.
Apalachee has a pretty respectable rushing game themselves.
Sophomore Stanley Williams will be looking to have a big night on the Bulldogg defense that has had trouble containing the run this season.
Williams verbally committed to the University of Georgia in the summer and has since become one of the most exciting running backs to watch in the state.
Apalachee also has juniors Zay Henry and Eric Tanner in their backfield. Henry brings the speed and the ability to get to the outside while Tanner provides the bruising punch up the middle.
The Bulldoggs will have a tough time keeping the Wildcat running game in check. And if they are able to find a way to do so, they will also have to look out for the arm of junior Clint Ashe.
Apalachee has put the ball in Ashe’s hands more this year than they did last season, showing confidence in their quarterback.
The Wildcats have added different wrinkles into their offensive scheme this season. AHS is a predominantly Wing-T offense that has tried some new things this year to give some different looks.
Winder-Barrow will have their hands full on Friday night as Apalachee brings an explosive offense that might prove to be too talented for the Bulldoggs.
WBHS will have to rely on the legs of Riden on Friday and to beat the Wildcats the Bulldoggs might simply have to outscore them.
It will be a tough task for the host Bulldoggs to overcome on Friday. Apalachee may very well take this year’s Battle of Barrow and extend the streak to four straight years.
Tyler Rollason is a Winder-Barrow High School graduate and mass communications major at the University of West Georgia. You can e-mail comments about this column to trollason@yahoo.com.
